Mental Illnesses and the Elderly

Mental illnesses have affected millions of Americans. Not only are the ones who suffer from a mental illness affected, but their loved ones as well. Recently, more people have been recognizing mental illness as a medical condition, however there is still a stigma associated with it.

There are still an overwhelming number of people who are either undiagnosed or untreated. What's more, 20% of adults who are 55 or older are diagnosed with some mental illness. The most common form of a mental illness that older adults experience is dementia. However, one of the most undiagnosed mental illness in older adults is depression. The CDC approximates that only 1 out of every 5 older adults suffer from depression, and while these numbers seem low, it does not mean that we should ignore them.

In their article, Visiting Angels Punta Gorda discuss how to recognize the signs that your loved one may be experiencing a mental illness. They note that while it is normal for people to change as they age, it is not normal to experience a mental illness such as a mood disorder. Changes in personality, cognition, and social withdrawal may all be indicators that your loved one may have a mental disorder.

To see the full article, visit: https://www.visitingangels.com/puntagorda/mental-illness-the-elderly-is-your-loved-one-at-risk-weekly-message_1845 .

Mistakes When Caring for Aging Parents

Photo by Mikhail Nilov from Pexels Are you caring for a senior loved one? If you are, you probably want to do your best to provide your loved one with the care they need. As you get ready to tackle your caregiver responsibilities, keep in mind these mistakes you should avoid making. Visiting Angels Punta Gorda points out how family caregivers tend to gloss over the communication aspect of caregiving. While you are providing your senior loved one with assistance, that does not mean that you do not need to take their thoughts and opinions into consideration. In other words, while you are caring for your loved one, make sure you are setting some time aside to communicate with them. Listen to what your aging loved one has to say and try to be considerate of their thoughts and feelings. After all, your loved one is still their own person. To read the full article, you may visit four common mistakes to avoid with your aging parents .

Talking About Dementia

Photo by Paul Theodor Oja from Pexels The term “dementia” is not a specific disease; in fact, dementia is an umbrella term. In other words, there are different types of dementia. Visiting Angels Punta Gorda goes through some common types of dementia found in seniors. Before getting into the different types of dementia, Visiting Angels Punta Gorda starts off by explaining how there are also various symptoms of dementia. Not all dementia patients experience the same symptoms. Some dementia patients can experience memory loss and confusion while other patients experience communication challenges and reasoning difficulties. Every person is different. Visiting Angels Punta Gorda goes into a bit of detail talking about some of the common types of dementia. The following is a simple list of the types of dementia. Alzheimer’s Disease Vascular Dementia Lewy Body Dementia Mixed Dementia For more information, you may visit common dementia types in seniors .

The Conversation with Your Senior Loved One

Photo by Mathias Konrath on Unsplash Talking about death is never easy; however, there comes a time in which every family must discuss it. If you have been struggling to start the end-of-life conversation with your senior loved one, take a look at the helpful advice that Visiting Angels Punta Gorda shares. Before starting the conversation with your senior loved one, Visiting Angels Punta Gorda brings up how finding a good location to have the conversation might be helpful. Try to find a location in which you and your loved one can both feel comfortable in. Once you find a good location, you can approach the conversation in several manners. For instance, Visiting Angels Punta Gorda mentions how you can start off with an ice breaker. You can try asking your loved one if they have any thoughts about the future. To read the full article, you may visit Having the End of Life Conversation with Your Senior and Family .

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