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SELF EVALUATION FOR SENIORS Marian, age 70 has recently lost her husband of 49 years. She is feeling lonely and depressed. She has no friends. And she feels that she has no reason to live. She called a referral service for help and she was connected with a senior peer counseling program. Her counselor told her about activities that were happening in the community. Now Marian is starting to get out more and her outlook is brighter. As you get older, you may find yourself faced with issues such as the ones Marian had to face. Issues that you may have never considered such as; the loss of loved ones, deteriorating health, declining income, and feeling isolated and lonely. Remember you are not alone in dealing with these issues. As people live longer, our elder population grows exponentially. More and more seniors are joining together to help each other (see the resource appendix for more information). Unfortunately, at least 25% (and perhaps even higher) of the elderly in the United States suffer from some form of mental illness. And those over 65 have the highest suicide rate. Individuals in this age group were raised in a society that held a very negative view toward therapy. This attitude toward therapy has only recently begun to decrease in recent years and this makes it even more difficult to reach out for help. Organic brain disorders afflict millions of elderly and dementias are all too often written off as "old age." Alzheimer's disease, a leading cause of death in America, affects millions of elderly. The loss of recent, short-term memory such as forgetting to turn off appliances, is a sign that a doctor should begin an evaluation. Changes which seem like old age can in fact be signs of depression, or other conditions for which there is treatment. One common source of difficulty is that many older people tend to take a variety of different medications which can affect their mental health. Because metabolic processes tend to slow down with age, drugs tend to stay in the body longer and therefore cause more toxic reactions. Poor eating habits often result from digestion problems or dental pain which can lead to changes in mental health. Diseased lungs, adrenals, thyroid, pituitary and other glands can also cause severe mental problems. The elderly in the United States can obtain a great deal of support for all kinds of mental health problems. Don't feel alone if you are a senior and think that you may need some assistance.
You must understand that this is only a self-evaluation tool and cannot replace the wisdom of meeting face-to-face with a trained professional. This is not a standardized test. I understand and agree to the above. Proceed to the self evaluation... CLICK HERE. |
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