Introducing Presenters
Lis Cox, LMFT
Ihande Weber, LCSW
MENTAL & EMOTIONAL WELLBEING
Learning Objectives
•
Understand the causes and consequences of
social isolation among elders
•
Understand the causes and consequences of
depression among elders
•
Understand factors that cause stress and
strategies for coping with stress
•
Learn about resources available to improve
mental and emotional well-being
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SOCIAL ISOLATION
• Social isolation occurs when an individual
is cut off from social ties and activities
• At some point, many older adults will
experience social isolation and feelings of
loneliness due to changes in one’s
network
• Social isolation or loneliness has many
negative consequences on health and
mental health.
3
Impact of Social isolation
• Physical: has been linked to poor health,
alcohol and substance use, and suicidal
thoughts.
• Emotional: May result in reduced confidence in
oneself, feelings of diminished self-worth,
despair, depression, and worthlessness. Social
isolation is one of the strongest predictors of
depression in later life.
• Cognitive (mental): May experience a
shortened attention span or forgetfulness as
they may not see any reason or opportunity to
remain aware and alert.
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Social Isolation -- Risk Factors
Physical
• Disabilities that limit mobility and impact
ability to participate in usual activities.
• Chronic illnesses and pain that leads to
being homebound, bedridden.
• Hearing loss can lead to reduced
participation in social activities and
engagement with others.
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Social Isolation -- Risk Factors
• Social: loss of social networks due to retirement
or joblessness may lead to a loss of personal
and professional identity.
• Loss of family members or friends due to
relocation, serious illness, or death.
• Other social factors: discrimination due to ageist
attitudes, lack of a confiding relationship, loss of
driving abilities, reduced independence, reduced
income, and language and cultural barriers may
increase risk for social isolation.
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Social Isolation -- Risk Factors
• Cognitive/Emotional: Individuals who
suffer from depression, cognitive deficits
such as problems with memory and
attention, and personality factors such as
shyness, discomfort with social
relationships, are at risk for social isolation
7
Signs/Symptoms of isolation
Physical
•Signs of self-neglect
such as unexplained
weight loss, poor selfcare
•Lethargy
Cognitive
•Confusion
•Not oriented to time
•Nervousness
•Forgetfulness
Emotional
•Feelings of loneliness
•Feelings of sadness
•Feelings of despair
Social
•Social withdrawal never
leaving home
•Lack of interest in or
lack of social
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relationships
Case Presentation for Discussion
Interactive Discussion
Cultural Discussion
DEPRESSION
• Is an emotional or psychological state
characterized by feelings of sadness and
despair.
• Is the most common psychological problem
facing older adults in the U.S. About 8% to 20%
of older adults in the community suffer from
depression
• Depressive symptoms are often misunderstood
or misdiagnosed to be the consequence of other
age-related conditions
• Depression has many negative consequences
for an individual’s health and mental health.
12
Impact of Depression
• Physical: May lead to alcohol dependence,
increased disability from medical illnesses, and
increased death rates due to heart attack,
stroke, and cancer. Increases the risk of death
due to suicide.
• Emotional: May contribute to feelings of
sadness, feeling low, anxiety, anger,
worthlessness, hopelessness.
• Mental: May cause disorientation, a shortened
attention span or cognitive impairment.
• Social: May cause withdrawal from family
members and friends
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DEPRESSION – Risk Factors
• Physical: Illness, disability, and pain may
cause stress that influences the onset of
depression.
• Some medications have depressive side effects.
• Social: Death of a spouse
• Care giving for a family member with physical
illness or dementia.
• Social isolation, relocation, and retirement.
• Lack of a confiding relationship and
interpersonal disputes such as family conflicts.
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Signs/Symptoms of depression
Physical
•Frequently tearful
•Restless/ Fidgeting
•Appetite change/ weight loss
•Fatigue/loss of energy
•Sleep disturbances
Emotional
•Sad or downcast moods
•Feelings of: hopelessness and
worthlessness
•Guilt
•Helplessness
Cognitive
Social
•Reoccurring thoughts about
death and suicide
•Difficulty in decision making
•Lack of motivation to begin new
projects
•Difficulty with memory or
concentration
•Avoidance of social interactions
•Diminished interest in
pleasurable activities and
hobbies
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Discussion Questions
Short Break
10 minutes
STRESS AND COPING
• Stress is a physical, chemical, or emotional
factor that causes bodily or mental tension and
may be a factor in causing disease
• An acute state of stress where the individual
feels threatened results in the hyper-arousal of
the whole system, known as the “fight or flight
response.”
• What is of serious concern is a state of chronic
hyper-arousal
• Coping is “the response that emerges in the
encounter between the person and the
situation.” Coping responses can be restorative
or destructive.
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Impact of Stress
• Physical: Chronic arousal of the stress-reaction
cycle can result in hypertension, diabetes,
arrhythmias, sleep disorders, chronic
headaches, chronic backaches, and/or anxiety.
• Psychological: These conditions can be
compounded by destructive behaviors and/or
substance dependency. All of the above put the
person at risk for a breakdown: emotional,
and/or physical, resulting in a heart attack or life
threatening disease.
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Cultural, Philosophical, Religious
and Spiritual Factors
• Cultural: Pre and post immigration
experiences, time and relational
orientations.
• Philosophical: Taoist and Existential
Philosophies
• Religious and Spiritual: “A search for
significance in times of stress.”
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Resources
• Internal (within the person): Cultural
response or spiritual or religious
practice.
• External (to the person): familial, or
ethnic or religious community.
• External (to the ethnic or religious
community):Senior Peer Counseling
and Mobile Mental Health Team
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Senior Peer Counseling
Mobile Mental Health
Services for Seniors
• In-home assessment of
mental health needs
• Individual and family
therapy
• Medication
management and
support
• Linkage to community
resources
• Crisis intervention
Thanks for your participation!