Of all the health conditions a senior must face upon reaching an advance age, mental problems prove to be the hardest to detect. In fact, even the senior himself won’t know if he is already experiencing these problems up until the time an expert tells him so. Furthermore, mental health problems usually go undetected since other potentially fatal illnesses should be ruled out first. Unfortunately, due to the sheer number of conditions that share the same symptoms, mental illnesses usually go full-blown before they get proper medical attention.
It was said that old age should be the time when seniors reap the rewards of their lifelong hardships and battles. This should be the time they relax, let go of some obligations and just be happy. Unfortunately, this is not always the case for most seniors especially now that many have been delaying retirement for financial reasons. There’s always the pressure of living our daily lives and sometimes, it makes a powerful impact in the way we think without us knowing it. If this reason alone could make us go crazy then just imagine what seeing our friends gradually fading right before our eyes, major illnesses hit us left and right and losing a spouse can do to us. No matter how matured we have become as seniors, there’s no way these incidents would go unfelt.
When we talk about mental illnesses, it is quite impossible for the sufferer to feel the symptoms, much less for him to arrive in a conclusion that he is indeed suffering from it. Most of the time, it is the caregiver or someone who lives in the same house who would notice these warning signs. This is why it is extremely important for the caregiver to be very alert and vigilant of these signs especially if the senior is currently undergoing a lot of stress. It is also important to note that if and when a senior experiences sudden lifestyle change, the caregiver should be more observant of the senior’s behavior and reaction. Here are some warning signs that could signify mental problems in seniors:
· The average, healthy grieving period for an adult would be anywhere between 6 months to a year. This is depending on the degree and the type of loss they had. Within this period, the grieving senior should be able to function entirely normal with little pockets of sadness every now and then. When you notice depression lasting two full weeks or more then it is time to seek help.
· Take note of the senior’s ability to concentrate and focus on the task at hand.
· Although it is but natural for seniors to think of their death, it is not normal for someone to be obsessed about it.
· Weight loss is the number one sign of all diseases which means if someone experienced sudden weight loss, he or she is sure to have something that the body couldn’t take very well.
· If the senior has trouble sleeping or if their sleeping patterns have become very erratic these past few days, something is wrong.
· Most of the time, addictions are a result of depression. This is the mind’s way to forget painful things or even emotions that the mind couldn’t process.
· Chronic pains with no evident source. When the mind is deeply hurt, it creates pain anywhere in the body to divert the feeling. In most cases, seniors who suffer depression welcome these pains instead of dealing with their emotions.
