The question, "What is the most common mental illness in the elderly?" is an interesting one. Our senior years are often fraught with a number of age-related problems, and our mental health is no different. Learning what to look out for is half the battle, and preparation goes a long way to stave off the worst of mental decline.
At Addington Place of Des Moines, located only five miles east of Des Moines airport, we're serious about addressing mental illness in whichever form it takes. If you'd like to learn about how seriously we take mental illness and the steps we take to curb it, read on to find out more!
The most common mental illness for seniors is depression. This won't come as a surprise, as depression is a symptom of many different issues or even a combination of them. As there's no single cause for depression, it's a little tricky to pin down a cause.
It's sometimes difficult to spot, too, whether it's an issue we're dealing with personally or something a friend or loved one is struggling with. Typically speaking, we don't tend to see depression in ourselves unless we've learned to watch carefully. Catching the signs in other people is equally as difficult, as we don't often scrutinize others closely enough to see what they might be trying to mask.
Unfortunately, depression is seen as something to hide rather than something to seek immediate assistance for. For some reason, we're loath to admit our sadness to others, even when doing so is likely to help our situation. Our cognitive wellness hinges on many things, but at our core, we're social animals who need to talk things through with others so that we might better understand ourselves.
The pattern of our lives is mostly set, and we move through stages as smoothly as we're able to. There are hurdles at every step, and they're present in later life as surely as they were leading up to it. The only difference is that, in later life, we have the experience of a lifetime to draw upon in tackling them.
Despite having the wisdom of years to consult, depression is a particularly stubborn issue and one that likes to hide, especially without family guidance to rely on. It's not an issue to tackle alone, which makes our predilection not to ask for help immediately a concern. At Addington Place, we're careful to underline the importance of open communication and to promote discussion surrounding all kinds of mental illness.
Honesty and openness are flaming swords in the face of depression, especially when in a group of understanding individuals. Fortunately, our community is full of kind and caring individuals who are only too happy to offer a shoulder to cry on and a sympathetic ear, staff and residents alike. If our residents are ever feeling down, for whatever reason, we encourage them to share their feelings so that we might address senior mental health directly.
Correctly identifying depression in a loved one is a little more complicated than you might first expect. This is largely due to how common symptoms appear similar to normal aging, the effects of some medical conditions, and the pain of normal grief. We've put a short list together to help you decide if someone you know is suffering normally, or if they might be in a state of depression.
Depression is often categorized as a malaise that's hard to shake and causes hopelessness or worthlessness. While these feelings are sometimes normal, if they persist for any length of time that seems unusually long or exhibit signs that their sadness goes beyond typical grief, it's time to act.
Sometimes all that's necessary is to show you've noticed something isn't right and to show the sufferer they're not alone. Offer your services and do your best to show yourself to be present and available. Your efforts will be appreciated.
If you notice a friend or loved one has suddenly given up on an interest they were once consumed by, it's worth asking why. Before long, careful questioning often reveals the core of the problem. Either way, taking the time to show you've noticed and you care enough to mention the change will also be appreciated.
If you or someone you know is suddenly struggling to get a restful night's sleep, sleeping too long, or experiencing significant fluctuations in weight, depression might be the cause. Sleeping too much or too little is a strong indication that something isn't right. The same can be said for losing a healthy appetite or beginning to eat significantly more than usual.
If someone complains they never have any energy or motivation, no matter the task at hand, it's usually a strong sign of depression. A persistent lack of energy, especially for hobbies and activities that were once met with enthusiasm, is a real symptom of depression.
If you spot any of these issues, don't feel embarrassed or tentative about addressing what you've noticed directly. Depression thrives in loneliness, making open communication a dagger in the heart of the condition. Even if they're hesitant to open up initially, your attempts to bring them out of their shell will do a lot of good.
Do your best to underline the fact that you care and that you're available to talk. Even if it doesn't seem clear that your attempts have done any good, they'll remember you when the time comes, and that's the important thing. Knowing they're not alone is a balm in and of itself.
We take the mental health of our seniors seriously at Des Moines and pride ourselves on our open communication when it comes to depression. We encourage our residents to tell us immediately if they're struggling so that we might begin to set things right. It may seem a simple strategy, but it's working well!
If this article helped to answer the question of "What is the most common mental illness in the elderly?", and you would like to learn more about our methods, don't hesitate to reach out today!