What do you know about mental health? What do you know about aging? Do you think mental illness is a great concern for seniors? These are just some of the questions that we need to ask ourselves, especially if we are caring for senior loved ones. Depression, anxiety, and even isolation are very common to senior patients. Perhaps this is caused by aging, or perhaps we just have neglected such problem over the years.
Today, on the blog, we will discuss the truth behind the issue on mental health. This is to help you understand the situation of senior adults and to help you recognize its symptoms for immediate treatment.
The real picture of mental health among seniors
The symptoms of mental illness could be evident as early as 55 years old. Although such signs may be subtle, the lack of attention and treatment given to it could make it worse over the years. The World Health Organization has even projected a 15% increase from the senior population who are most likely to experience mental illness.
If the above-mentioned findings would prove to be correct, it could happen to anyone of us or to our loved ones. And once we have an unstable and unhealthy state of mind, its effects could range from constant mood changes, depression, or worse, dementia. These mental conditions are not laughing matters. It will disrupt the daily activities of our loved ones, it could affect their relationships with other people, and this could even affect their memory.
What are the symptoms?
The state of our mental health is a result of different factors. This could be caused by our environment, our physical condition, and even the kind of people that we deal with. If we receive enough attention and care from our loved ones, we tend to feel more comfortable in ourselves. We have a more positive outlook on life.
On the other hand, seniors who lack attention and family support are most likely to feel depressed and sad. This is where mental health would gradually change. These changes are evident in the following actions of our seniors:
- lack of interest to perform daily activities
- experiencing chronic pain in different parts of the body
- having a poor diet and lack of physical activity
- poor medication management
As a trusted senior home care in Pennsylvania, our staff at RiteChoice Family Services, Inc. value our patients just like how we value our own family. We want them to experience a healthy aging, and that includes having a positive state of mind.
What are the needs of these adults?
Basically, the need of adults who have serious mental health concerns is a good companion and the right medication. It would be very helpful that we stay calm when we deal with them. We always maintain the patience in understanding their attitude and their actions because of their health condition. We also have to give them the proper treatment and medicines that they need.
When we can deliver these two basic needs of our senior loved ones, we could help them cope up with their condition, and we can prevent such mental illness from worsening.
To understand more about the mental health of seniors, you can ask our caregivers at RiteChoice Family Services Inc., a trusted name in Senior Home Care in Pennsylvania. You can check our website at www.ritechoiceservices.com or call us today at 267-292-2876.
