Mental Health Issues
in Later Life
WELLNESS AND PREVENTION
What is “Normal Aging”?
• Two groups:
– Those with disease
– Those with “normal” health
• Society has a widespread belief, however,
that physical and mental declines are
inevitable as we age.
Successful Aging
• Low risk of disease and disease-related
disability
• High mental and physical functioning
• Active engagement with life
– The combination of these three factors
constitute the essence of successful aging

(Rowe and Khan)
A Long and Healthy Life
• Common-sense practices
– Don't smoke
– Don't drink too much
– Eat a healthy diet
– Get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical
activity each day
– Get regular checkups and screenings
– Wear seat belts and take other safety
precautions
Other Factors for Successful
Aging
• Attitudes and actions can transform our
lives
– Lifelong learning
– Active involvement
– A hopeful outlook
Caring for Yourself
• Maintain a positive outlook on life
• Take good care of your health
• Remain active
• Stay in close contact with family and friends
• Eat right
• Remain mentally active
• Know what you believe
Mental Health Issues
in Later Life
Maintaining Emotional Health
Terms to Describe a Healthy
Emotional State
• Mental Health
• Emotional Health
• Mental Wellness
• Emotions Wellness
– Standard definitions of these terms are
difficult to find
Elements of Mental
Wellness Definitions
• Statistical normality
• Observations of one older adult's ability to
function compared to others
• The degree to which mental disorders
respond to treatment
• An idealized image of continued
contribution, growth and functioning,
sometimes labeled successful aging
Definitions of Mental
Wellness
1. A measure of personal life satisfaction
and quality of life that affects the older
individual and the community
(www.asaging.org)
2. “Striking a balance in all aspects of your
life – social, physical, spiritual, economic,
mental”
(www.stjosham.on.ca/mentalhealth/about.htm)
Definitions of Mental
Wellness (continued)
3. Successful performance of mental function,
resulting in productive activities, fulfilling
relationships with other people, and the ability
to adapt to change and to cope with
adversity… mental health is the springboard of
thinking and communication skills, learning,
emotional growth, resilience, and self esteem
(www.surgeongeneral.gov)
A Healthy Mind is Important
• Good mental health can help you
– Enjoy life more
– Handle difficult situations
– Stay better connected to your loved ones
– Keep your body strong
– Save money on healthcare expenses
– Live longer
(DHHS publication No. [SMA] 02-3618, 2001)
Maintaining Emotional
Health
• Most older adults enjoy good mental
health
• Emotional, mental, and physical health are
all connected
• A healthy mind is as important as a
healthy body, and should be given the
same attention!
Sleep
• Sleep is an important part of our
ability to remember
– Neuronal connections may be remodeled
during sleep
– Some memory tasks appear to be more
vulnerable to sleep deprivation than others
– Sleep deprivation may produce effects in the
brain that resemble those associated with
aging
– Evidence that sleep plays an important role
in memory consolidation
(http://www.memory-key.com/NatureofMemory/sleep.htm)
Stress
• Managing stress can affect one’s outlook
on life
– Not all stress is negative
– Chronic stress takes a toll on the brain
• In older persons, stress is thought to play
a bigger role in triggering depression than
in other groups
Managing Stress
•
•
•
•
Eat regular healthy meals
Avoid caffeine
Get enough sleep
Engage in some kind of
regular physical activity
• Recognize that there are
•
some things you cannot
control and focus your
attention on the things
that you can
Develop a sense of
humor; put some fun
back into your life by
doing something you
really enjoy every day
Mental Health Issues
in Later Life
Staying Connected
Social Connection
• Maintaining social connections is important
to wellness in later life
• Social relationships serve as a key source
of informal support
• Loneliness is a problem for many older
adults
Retirement
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Take a slow exit
Try a new job on a part-time basis
Share your job
Take a break
Volunteer
Mental Health Issues
in Later Life
Dealing with Grief
Grief and Bereavement
Losses are a part of everyone’s lives
– As we age we accumulate more losses
– Loss of a spouse is common in late life
• About 800,000 older Americans are widowed each
year
• Elders’ expressions of grief are often
shaped by their cultural values and beliefs
Grief and Loss Experiences
• Anxiety or panic
– 40 percent of people who lose a spouse
experience generalized anxiety or panic
syndromes in the first year
• Death
– In the first six months after a loss, mortality
among surviving spouses increases 40 to 70
percent compared with the general
population.
Complicated Grief
• Roughly 15 percent of people who have lost a
loved one might be susceptible to “complicated
grief”
– a condition more severe than the average loss-related
life transition, depression, and anxiety
• Risk factors for complicated grief
– Excessive dependency on the person who died
– History of depression or anxiety
– Sudden death of a loved one
Symptoms of Grief
•
•
•
•
Depression
Anxiety
Substance abuse
Symptoms of “complicated” grief
– searching, yearning, preoccupation with thoughts of
the deceased, crying, disbelief regarding the death,
feeling stunned by the death, and lack of acceptance
of the loss.
Stages of Grief
• Denial
• Anger
• Reactive Depression
• Guilt
• Acceptance
Coping with Grief
Take care of your body
Take care of your mind
Take care of your spirit