Tuesday, 04 August 2020

Risk Factors for Mental Health Problems Among the Elderly

According to Mind.org, 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem of some kind each year in England. When it comes to the elderly, research shows that depression is the most common mental health problem in those over the age of 65. Statistics provided by Age UK demonstrate that 22% of men and 28% of women, and 40% of older people in care homes, within this age group will suffer from depression.

These statistics are rather alarming, particularly in the midst of a pandemic which is showing an unprecedented historical rise in mental health issues. However, the stats even pre-COVID may cause one to wonder why older people are at a greater risk of being diagnosed with mental health problems. What are the risk factors, exactly? We investigate below.

Different stressors

The World Health Organisation draws our attention to the fact that elderly individuals have different stressors to the average young person in their daily lives. Along with everyday stressors, such as paying bills and keeping up with the pace of society, they also struggle with cognitive decline, chronic pain or conditions, and a reduction in mobility.

Many older adults will require home help in these circumstances, which can prove difficult to accept in the beginning.

Traumatic events

As a person ages, they are more likely to experience traumatic events, such as losing friends of a similar age. They are also more likely to experience a drop in socio-economic status following retirement or being unable to work due to health concerns. These traumatic events can take a toll on their mental wellbeing and lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Pain

As mentioned above, those within the elderly population have a higher risk of being diagnosed with a chronic condition. In some instances, these conditions are difficult to manage, which could mean that the individual must cope with a significant amount of pain from day to day.

Pain is physical, but it can also have a long-term impact on a person from a mental perspective.

What to do?

If you are a friend or family member to an older adult, there are steps that you can take to help preserve their mental health and reduce their risk of depression.

For starters, make sure that they are able to source the senior home help services that they require to alleviate the stress associated with completing household tasks and conducting sufficient self-care.

Furthermore, do your best to keep in touch even when circumstances do not allow for you to pay them a visit in person. Often, a quick chat is enough to lift the spirits!

Most importantly, be patient. We are living through strange and uncertain times which can be particularly confusing for the elderly who already experience high rates of social isolation and are especially at risk from this virus. Be supportive. Understand their fears and do your best to console them by being kind.

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