Aging does not only include the physical changes we witness in every wrinkling people in our lives. Sometimes, it brings along other changes such as emotional, mental and even psychological changes.
There are a lot of alterations that goes on in the life of an older adult and in this blog; we will be tackling about the different problems in the psychology of a senior citizen. Some of these modifications include the following:
- Dementia
Dementia is a chronic disorder that occurs in a person’s mental process. It causes diseases or injury and you can tell if one because it is characterized by:
- Memory disorders
- Personality changes
- Impaired reasoning
For now, dementia is irreversible and affects 5 to 7 percent of adults who are over the age of 65 and this number goes higher up to 30 percent for those over the age of 85.
Not like the other and gentler forms of mental decline that comes along with the normal aging process, this can lead to major impairments in one’s functioning in the society.
Those who have dementia may suffer from anxiety, depression and paranoia.
- Anxiety disorder
A whopping 6 percent in the population of older adults put up with anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorder is a collection of mental disorders. It characterizes both the feelings of fear and anxiety.
The fear part of this disorder comes from the patient’s reaction to contemporary events. Anxiety, on the other hand, refers to the worrying on what will happen in the years to come, and in other words, in the future.
Symptoms of this disorder include:
- Restlessness
- Fatigue
- Concentration problems
- Irritability
- Muscle tension
- Sleep disturbance
Believe it or not but the most ordinary anxiety diagnosis in seniors us generalized anxiety disorder. This makes the person experience trepidation, apprehension and tension for at least 6 months.
- Elderly suicide
Among all the age group, it is the older men and women who have the highest suicide rate in the country. This seems to be always typical for elderly Caucasian seniors who live alone.
In the US population, it is the older adults that comprise the 18% of the suicide rates in the country. What is worst is that the more an elderly person gets older, the more his or her chance of committing such an act. We believe that this incident can only be avoided with the help of a companion in the lives of these old folks.
Prestige Health Care Services, Inc., provider of Home Health Care in Worcester, Massachusetts knows this fact that is why we promote such service in the State of Massachusetts, USA. If you want to ask for medical attention at the comfort of your own home, you can go to our website at www.prestigehcs.com.
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