As the baby boomers age here in the U.S., they are going to swell the ranks of seniors. And senior care — especially mental health care — is one of the most ignored in America. We act as though seniors don’t matter much, and few health care and mental health care professionals go into specializations, such as geriatric psychology, that can help senior citizens.
Perhaps that will change, with more attention and focus provided on this group of people. Because as we age, we often face many of the same difficulties as we did earlier in life.
Except these difficulties are often amplified, because of the loss of social support — our friends — and isolation — most often from our own family.
The New York Times profiles Marc E. Agronin, M.D., a geriatric psychiatrist to showcase the mental health challenges of our aging population.
Before posting, please read our blog moderation guidelines. The comments below begin with the oldest comments first. Click on the last comments page to jump to the most recent comments.
Before posting, please read our blog moderation guidelines.
Post a Comment:
Copyright © 1995-2013 Psych Central. All rights reserved.
Site last updated: 19 Jun 2013
|
I did not know that “the elderly” were a separate breed of humans — or that they all alike belong to any single category.
Well, well…..I a 64 and a freshman in college (social work/counseling).
Enough said.
Except I don’t fit any category…..Amazing genes….long thick hair down to my waist, porcelian-like skin, with no lines or wrinkles, boundless energy…
Tsk, tsk…stereotypes!
A nurse told me the problem of ‘old people’ is they have too many things wrong with them and they ask too many questions; it really screws up the schedule. She’s right. There is often more than one thing wrong and some of the ‘any old pill’ won’t fix it. You’ll never know what it’s really like until you are walking in our shoes.
I agree that more of a focus needs to be put on the mental health of our elderly population–especially those living in assisted living or nursing facilities. There can definitely be a sense of isolation once a person is moved from their home. It is important to provide them with the resources they need to get through the transition. Thank you for the post!
Anna