Seniors and Mental Health

The HouseProud Atlanta, Inc. Advocacy and Education Committee (AEC) would like to share food for thought on the topic of mental health. There are no attempts to provide medical diagnoses - the information being presented to prompt honest conversations with yourself and with those you trust (your loved ones, your medical doctor, and the like). Each one of us endured an awful lot this past year and we had to adjust to triumph, or did we? Adjust? Triumph? This month’s article is written acknowledging the mental toll we endured sprinkled with some interesting tidbits and resources.* 

Mental health is just as important as your physical health. It is common practice for many to mistake mental health issues as a part of growing older. For that reason, many go untreated until there are substantial signs. Mental illness is a disease that affects your behavior and or your thoughts. As people age, they are more likely to experience several conditions at the same time. To put it another way, about 6 million Americans over 65 are affected by depression and just as many may have Alzheimer’s! This is serious.

Being educated about the warning signs can help make uncovering a mental illness easier for loved ones and caregivers. Here are four of the main early warning signs that an elderly person may be suffering from mental illness.

 
 

  1. Memory Issues

    Memory issues are incorrectly considered a normal part of the aging process, which causes mental illnesses to often go unrecognized until they have advanced significantly. Memory problems can be a warning sign of mental illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and dementia in older adults. Signs of this memory loss may include misplacing belongings, repeatedly asking for the same information, or forgetting important dates.

  2. Changes in Personal Care

    Often, a person with mental health issues will stop sticking to their usual personal care routines. A noticeable change in appearance might signify that a person is unable to successfully adhere to their former routines related to personal appearance. While this will look different for everyone, changes in personal appearance that may be a sign of a mental illness include forgoing bathing or skipping previously standard personal care tasks, such as applying makeup.

  3. Social Withdrawal

    Individuals suffering from mental illness often become socially withdrawn. If you notice your loved one losing interest in activities that they used to be excited about or avoiding regular social engagements, it may be because they are suffering from a mental health issue that makes these things difficult. For example, they may not want to participate in playing card games with their friends because they are having difficulty remembering how to play.

  4. Changes in Mood

    A change in character often accompanies mental illnesses, such as depression and Alzheimer’s. Your loved one may go from carefree to anxious, upbeat to depressed, or confident to confused. If these mood changes last more than a couple of weeks, there may be a more serious cause driving their altered personality.

If you know a senior who is exhibiting any of these symptoms, encourage them to reach out to a professional who can help diagnose and treat mental illness. Some seniors may be reluctant to seek help on their own, making it important that you are there for them to support and encourage their treatment. Lest we watch out for one another. 

The following information is directly from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI.org):

Trying to tell the difference between what expected behaviors are and what might be a sign of a mental illness isn't always easy. There is no magic or easy test that would indicate if someone were experiencing mental illness or if one’s actions and thoughts might be typical behaviors of a person or the result of a physical illness.

Each illness has its own symptoms, but common signs of mental illness in adults and adolescents can include the following:

  • Excessive worrying or fear

  • Feeling excessively sad or low

  • Confused thinking or problems concentrating and learning

  • Extreme mood changes, including uncontrollable “highs” or feelings of euphoria

  • Prolonged or strong feelings of irritability or anger

  • Avoiding friends and social activities

  • Difficulties understanding or relating to other people

  • Changes in sleeping habits or feeling tired and low energy

  • Changes in eating habits such as increased hunger or lack of appetite

  • Changes in sex drive

  • Difficulty perceiving reality (delusions or hallucinations, in which a person experiences and senses things that don't exist in objective reality)

  • Inability to perceive changes in one’s own feelings, behavior or personality (”lack of insight” or anosognosia)

  • Overuse of substances like alcohol or drugs

  • Multiple physical ailments without obvious causes (such as headaches, stomach aches, vague and ongoing “aches and pains”)

  • Thinking about suicide

  • Inability to carry out daily activities or handle daily problems and stress

  • Intense fear of weight gain or concern with appearance

Where To Get Help

Don’t be afraid to reach out if you or someone you know needs help. Learning all you can about mental health is an important first step. In Georgia, we have Grady Hospital and the DeKalb Community Service Board.

Grady Behavioral Health:

There are three ways to access Grady Behavioral Health assistance:

  1. Emergency/Crisis Services
    Individuals experiencing urgent behavioral health issues may seek help at Grady’s Emergency Department, which has around-the-clock behavioral health staff. The emergency department is located at 80 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive, SE.

  2. Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL)
    If you are experiencing a behavioral crisis, call the Georgia Crisis and Access Line at 800-715-4225. Staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, GCAL can help you find the resources you need and help you schedule an outpatient appointment. The next available appointment may be at a provider other than Grady.

  3. Outpatient services
    Individuals who need non-acute care are welcome to walk in and request a consultation at Grady’s Behavioral Health Outpatient Center at 10 Park Place NE from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. 

DeKalb Community Service Board (Dekalb CSB) serves Fulton and DeKalb Counties

Behavioral Health (Adult Behavioral Health Services)

DeKalb CSB offers treatment services that range from crisis and residential treatment programs, psychosocial and peer day treatment programs, supported employment, outpatient counseling, psychiatric care and medications, nursing services, and community-based case management and skill building. Our team of behavioral health professionals will partner with you to develop a personalized treatment plan to help you in your path to recovery.

  1. During a Crisis

    Consider these options when you or someone you care about is experiencing a mental health crisis:

  • Call 911 if the situation is a life-threatening emergency.

  • Call the DeKalb Regional Crisis Center at 404.294.0499, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

  • Visit the DeKalb Regional Crisis Center (DRCC) located at 450 Winn Way, Decatur, Georgia 30030.

  1. For non-crisis situations, DeKalb CSB Central Access serves as the central point of contact for DeKalb Community Service Board. Call 404.892.4646 for information about services.

Stats

1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year
1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year
1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year
50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-34 (source NAMI.org)

Disclaimer: This information was taken from multiple internet sources (who.int, nami.org, cmsschicago.org, gradyhealth.org, dekcsb.org etc.)

Antwan Key