mental illness in seniors

Mental Illness in Seniors

It’s been found that compared to younger adults, seniors are less likely to be asked by their primary if they feel tense or anxious. Therefore, they are less likely to be referred to a mental health professional.

A recent study of seniors getting home health services found that 23% screened positive for depression. Less than 40% of those people were actually getting treated for it.

Knowing for Sure Can Be Hard

There are a few reasons why it’s hard to see mental illness in seniors. Through a telephone survey, it was found that older adults are less likely to feel they need mental health care than young adults. They are less likely to talk about it with their primary.

Agism and stigma about mental health also play a part in this. Many seniors and their family members think depression is something that comes with age. With all the medical appointments that seniors need, a primary may feel like there isn’t a good time to bring up mental health concerns unless the patient does first.

There’s also the fact that some symptoms of depression, like poor sleep, low appetite, memory, and concentration problems, are signs of getting older. It’s hard to tell what symptom is coming from where. Never mind the fact that they may be taking medication, and the side effects are affecting them in these ways.

"Rational" Suicide is on the Rise Among Seniors

Recently Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain passed due to suicide. This is a good opportunity to talk about the increasing rates of suicide in older adults. Doctors and families are trying to figure out how to help prevent this.

Increasing Rates of Suicide in Older Adults

While suicide is often connected to younger people, like troubled teens, midlife and older adults have the highest suicide rate in the US. In fact, there were more than 232,000 suicides in the age group of 45 to 64 in 2016. This is according to the US Centers for Disease Control.

This can be because they feel that they have nothing left to contribute to the world or they feel their work here is done. Some people may be in physical pain and decide they’ve lived long enough. Others may just be so incredibly lonely that they want to join their loved ones that moved on.

Suicide attempts are more likely to be fatal among older people as well. Their frailty often makes them less likely to survive. The isolation they experience makes them less likely to be recused too.

What To Look For

Not all hope is lost, there are things we can do for our loved ones. Look for these signs:

Depression

Prior suicide attempts

Presence of other medical conditions

Physical pain

Social dependency or isolation

Family discord or loss

Inflexible or rigid personality

Access to lethal means

As always, make sure you senior isn’t left alone for too long. Social connection, sense of purpose or meaning, and other positive aspects can help make them feel like they have more to give in this world. Try to be by their side during tough transitions so that they can stay resilient. Finally, don’t be afraid to show how much they mean to you.

If you or someone you know is in danger of taking their life, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK.

Ashland NH	Amherst NH
Atkinson NH	Auburn NH
Barrington NH	Bedford NH
Bow NH	Brookline NH
Candia NH	Chester NH
Concord NH	Danville NH
Derry NH	East Hampstead NH
East Kingston NH	Epping NH
Exeter NH	Fremont NH
Goffstown NH	Greenland NH
Hampstead NH	Hampton NH
Hampton Falls NH	Hollis NH
Hooksett NH	Hudson NH
Kingston NH	Litchfield NH
Londonderry NH	Manchester NH
Merrimack NH	Milford NH
Mont Vernon NH	Nashua NH
North Hampton NH	New Boston NH
Newfields NH	Newmarket NH
Newton NH	Pelham NH
Plaistow NH	Portsmouth NH
Raymond NH	Rye Beach NH
Rye NH	Salem NH
Sandown NH	Seabrook NH
Stratham NH	Windham NH