Background: Given the growing elderly population and the complexities associated with their mental health and social well-being, a precise understanding of trends and research priorities is essential for social planning. This study aimed to analyze the conceptual structure, elucidate temporal developments, and identify existing research gaps in studies on the mental health of older adults, thereby outlining future directions for policy-making and the enhancement of social well-being.

Methods: This study employed a scientometric approach, utilizing text mining and network analysis techniques. The statistical population consisted of 20,269 scientific records indexed in the Web of Science database, which were analyzed after preprocessing and cleaning using Python. Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling was used to extract the conceptual structure, while keyword co-occurrence network analysis with the Louvain algorithm was applied to examine inter-conceptual relationships and clustering.

Results: LDA topic modeling identified six major themes in mental health research among older adults: clinical and disease-focused research, psychological well-being, social factors and quality of life, cognitive functions and age-related changes, evidence-based interventions, and community-oriented mental health with an emphasis on emerging challenges such as dementia. Temporal trend analysis revealed that research focus has gradually shifted from purely treatment-oriented approaches toward social, preventive, and quality-centric components (including quality of life, social isolation, and digital health), a trend that underscores the need for social policies to improve the well-being of older adults. Additionally, keyword co-occurrence network analysis revealed five distinct conceptual clusters, in which the concepts of "quality of life" (2,501), "depression" (1,597), and "dementia" (1,503) exhibited the highest centrality. Furthermore, an analysis of the international collaboration network indicated that China, with a degree centrality of 0.158, plays a leading role in knowledge production in this field. Moreover, a comparison of thematic distribution and growth trends showed that despite the paradigm shift toward social issues, significant research gaps remain in "operational social interventions" and the "direct linkage of mental health with welfare policies," necessitating specific attention from researchers.

Conclusion: The paradigm shift in mental health research for older adults from individual and clinical approaches to social and welfare contexts highlights the need to revise policies and design comprehensive social interventions to enhance the mental health and quality of life of this population. However, the identification of research gaps in operational social interventions serves as a serious warning for policymakers; it indicates that while theoretical literature has moved toward social well-being, operational tools and evidence-based interventions in this area remain insufficient. Furthermore, the dominance of leading countries such as China in knowledge production underscores the necessity of localizing research and generating indigenous knowledge tailored to the cultural and social needs of Iranian society. Ultimately, filling these research gaps by designing studies that directly link mental health with welfare programs appears essential for improving the well-being of older adults.