Understanding and Supporting Mental Health in the Elderly
As we grow older, the focus often shifts to physical health, leaving mental health overlooked. However, it is a critical part of your loved one's overall well-being. Mental and cognitive health challenges change as we age due to retirement, loss of loved ones or medical conditions.
At Primrose Lodge Care Home, we are passionate about providing all-round health care for your loved one. We believe that understanding and addressing the mental health challenges your loved one faces is vital in creating holistic care as it enables us to provide the support they need. In this blog, we look at how you can identify and understand mental health issues in your loved one and what we, and you, can do to support them.
Common Mental Health Issues in the Elderly
One myth about ageing is that mental health disorders, such as dementia and memory loss, are a normal part of the process. But this isn't true.
This is likely to have become a belief because a significant portion of our ageing population lives with a mental health issue.
Common conditions include:
- Depression – which can affect around 7% of the older population, yet often goes undiagnosed.
- Anxiety – impacts around 10-20% of the elderly.
- Memory loss & dementia-related issues – more than 944,000 people in the UK have dementia.
Identifying Mental Health Problems
It can be difficult to identify mental health issues in your elderly loved one because symptoms can differ so much, especially when compared with symptoms experienced by younger generations.
On top of this, they will often do everything they can to hide their symptoms for fear of a diagnosis and how that might impact them or because they are embarrassed.
Symptoms to look out for include:
- Changes in mood
- Changes in energy levels
- Withdrawing from social events and activities
- Altered sleep patterns
- Increased irritability
- Increased anxiety
It is important to know these symptoms because early detection and a professional diagnosis can make a big difference in the management and treatment of the condition.
Support Strategies for Caregivers and Families
When supporting a loved one with a mental health condition, you need patience, understanding and a proactive approach.
A safe and supportive environment will give you and your loved one the confidence to keep your lines of communication open to share feelings, thoughts and needs.
Additionally, it is important to encourage social interaction with others who are not yourself. These interactions are especially essential for those who are living with depression or anxiety. However, it is also crucial for caregivers to be aware of their loved one's limits, making sure they don't get overwhelmed in a situation.
Caregiving can be demanding, so you need to be aware of your own limits. If you start to struggle or feel overwhelmed by it all, seek help. This could be from other family members, support groups, or professional services.
Professional Care and Treatment Options
Of course, the treatment will depend on the mental health condition that is diagnosed.
If your loved one is diagnosed with a type of dementia, the treatment plan will focus on pain and condition management rather than a cure, as these conditions don't currently have a cure.
Meanwhile, if diagnosed with depression and anxiety, a treatment plan will be put together to try and resolve the issue causing them.
No matter what the condition is, the treatment will often include a combination of therapies, medication and lifestyle changes.
Mental health treatment isn't a one-size-fits-all plan, so professionals will work with your loved one to create a bespoke treatment and care plan that meets the unique needs of your loved one.
Promoting Mental Well-being in Seniors
Whether your loved one has been diagnosed with a mental health condition or not, there are several things you can do as a caregiver or family member to promote mental health well-being.
These include:
- Encouraging regular physical activity
- Attending social engagements
- Participating in hobbies to stimulate their mind and body
- Join clubs or volunteering opportunities
Your loved one needs a sense of purpose and fulfilment, so ensuring these, they are less likely to develop mental health issues such as depression, anxiety or even dementia.
Resources and Support for Caregivers
As we mentioned above, it is important to know when you need support as a caregiver.
To provide the best care for your loved one, you need to care for yourself and have the energy and enthusiasm for caring. But caring for someone with a mental health condition can be draining and exhausting.
If you start struggling, there are plenty of resources and places you can turn to for support:
- Have counselling
- Join a support group
- Participate in community programmes
- Put respite care in place
Mental Health Care At Primrose Lodge Weymouth
Spotting and supporting mental health issues in the elderly is a responsibility that we all share, whether you are a full-time carer or not, because it could make a difference in your loved one's life. This is why it is important to understand the common issues faced by our ageing population and the symptoms.
At Primrose Lodge Weymouth, our staff receive specialised mental health training so they can spot symptoms and put care and support in place before it progresses.
On top of this, we create personalised care plans for each of our long-term care and respite care residents, which take into consideration history with mental health conditions, as well as family medical history.
The care plan is created after completing a care needs assessment, in which one of our staff will get to know your loved one's life story, history and preferences. This allows our staff to understand what is normal for your loved one so that we can look for changes and proactively amend our care to reflect these when we spot them.
The lifestyle at our care home prioritises social interaction and activity, so it is always buzzing with chatter and laughter. This is thanks to the engaging activities programme we have taking place across the facilities.
If your loved one is living with a mental health condition and you are looking at care home options, don't hesitate to get in touch with our team today.
Book a visit to see what life is like with us and discuss how we can provide personalised and compassionate care for your loved one.
Call us on 01305 786568 or complete our online contact form now.