There is much talk, when it comes to the health of seniors, of Alzheimer’s and dementia but there are also many other forms of mental health problems that the elderly are susceptible to.
The list of these mental health problems is a long one – bipolar, schizophrenia, depression, etc. Each of these illnesses has its own debilitating signs and symptoms but they all have one thing in common for the family and loved ones of those suffering – they need understanding!
When a person breaks their leg it is obvious that this individual can not walk and will be immobile for some time ahead. That is called ‘understanding’, you the observer understand the ailment.
The same is so for the many mental health issues that could effect your loved one.
Just because a mental health problem isn’t as obvious as a broken leg means that it is easy to miss and you end up simply putting down the ‘strange’ behaviour as a personality flaw or that the person is having a a bad day.
As a loved one or friend when you find out that someone you care about has a mental health problem make sure you ‘understand’ it. There is a mountain of information on each individual problem and this information will help you to understand what it is that your loved one is going through and what it is you can do to help.
Helping can be anything from making sure medication is taken on time, watching for changes in moods and helping to keep a diary of these changes or notifying medical professionals of any drastic changes in personality. You could help with daily chores that the every day person finds so easy. Sometimes just by being there for a chat or to listen to their problems will help.