Mental Health & Support

Mental health and support is important for older adults. Most people regardless of age forget things, experience sadness, or other changes in mood or thinking. Persistent forgetfulness, sadness and other changes may are not a normal part of aging and may require help from a mental health professional.

Dementia
Senility and persistent forgetting are not part of normal aging. Dementia is a term used to describe many different diseases that affects the way a person thinks, memory or learning. The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer's Disease but others include multi-infarct (strokes), Lewy Body, Parkinson's, AIDS, and Korsakoff's.

More information on dementia can be obtained from the Alzheimer's Association (Off Site).

Depression
Dealing with loss, change, and loneliness can be overwhelming. Sometimes normal sadness can become depression. Depression is a medical condition like diabetes or heart disease that is treated with medications and / or therapy. At least 80 percent of people can be treated effectively and symptoms relieved with a few weeks.

Depression symptoms include nervousness, emptiness, guilt, worthlessness, loss of interest, restlessness, irritability, over sleeping or having trouble sleeping, eating more or less than usual, and having persistent headaches, stomach aches or chronic pain. Symptoms of sadness last for more than two weeks and affects everyday living.

Download a National Institute of Mental Health booklet on depression.

Mental Health Support
Psychiatrists, psychologists and clinical social workers are all trained to help people who may have a disease like depression or dementia. Psychiatrists are medical doctors that can prescribe prescription drugs and other treatments as well as assist with therapy. Psychologists are licensed mental health professionals that specialize in talk therapy. Social workers are licensed professionals that may provide therapy or provide assistance in accessing mental health services in the community or a clinic.

Other professionals that may help with mental illness include family doctors, clergy and other faith based support, nurses, and other trained professionals.

Non-profit organizations like Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly (Off Site), the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) (Off Site) and the Minnesota Disability Linkage Line™ at 1-866-333-2466.
 

Updated 07/13/2007