Mental Problems of Elders: Our Responsibility

There are some psychological problems in old age like each step of the development of human life. However, most of the people do not understand mental problems of older people or misunderstand them. Because of lack of knowledge, many people do not know the problems of the elders. As a result, they give pain to elders and suffer pain themselves too. Again, many people give this matter less importance even if they know it. For this reason, psychological problems of elders increase. But an elderly person is like a banyan tree for a family. His knowledge helps the family a lot. Not only that, all of them are emotional refuge. Let us know the problems of the elderly people:

The number of individuals above 60 years is increasing in the world currently. Due to decrease of mortality and fertility rates, the proportion of elderly people is increasing. Among them, nearly 6.6 percent are losing their movement power. Almost 15% of them suffer from mental problems. Among the mental problems, depression and dementia are common. In addition, anxiety also annoy much.

Sadness:
Due to physical condition, loneliness, family problems and thinking, could not do anything in life, elderly people suffer from depression. About 7% of elderly men and women suffer from depression. The symptoms of depression are like other people. Sometimes elders do not understand the feelings of depression. In that case, they might have this problem.

In old age, medication and psychotherapy are the treatment methods of depression. Psychotherapy works with the psycho-social causes that are responsible for depression. However, sometimes the affected person lives in so much frustration that he does not get any interest in taking psychotherapy. Then it needs to take drugs.

Dementia: 
The main symptoms of dementia is losing memory. Sometimes, although he could remember childhood memories, it becomes very difficult for him to remember the things he has done a few years ago. For this reason, family members misunderstand him. They think that the person is doing so to make trouble for them.

It is assumed that 35.6 million people worldwide are suffering from dementia. The number is becoming double in every 20 years. The harmful effects of dementia are vulnerable in middle income countries.

If you want to help a dementia affected person, you have to help his family first. The reason is that, if you foster pain in the deep of your heart, it is not possible for you to help the elderly person.

Anxiety: 
Anxiety can come in old age for various reasons. For several reasons, anxiety is seen in them, such as: decreasing income, increasing the cost of living, going away children, death of someone of the same age, losing ability to work, dependency on others etc. During this period, everybody should cooperate them with highly empathy. Pride rises at this age. So, everybody should talk to them carefully so that they do not get hurt in mind. A doctor’s advice might be taken to solve the problem.