Mental health problems of seniors widespread
Many older adults often ignore feelings of depression thinking it’s part of aging
BY EMILY AYSHFORD eayshford@kenoshanews.com
When Inez Andrews came to Kenosha in 2004, the 66-year-old just wanted to get away from the hubbub of Chicago.
But what greeted her instead was an uneasy living situation, health problems, and depression.
“It was a lot of mental anguish,” she said. “I was stressed out. I was depressed.”
Mental health problems among seniors are widespread and often get swept under the rug, officials say. Seniors dealing with health problems and the loss of family and friends may experience depression — which often goes undiagnosed, since some people believe depression is a natural byproduct of aging.
“Because some physicians attributed symptoms to just being old, not necessarily to a mental health problem, these things go undiagnosed with the elderly,” said Gary Brown, director of Kenosha Area Aging and Family Services, Inc.
While help is available, some seniors are too proud to seek it, while others might not realize the difference it can make.
“For many elderly who are in that boat, if they get the right treatment, whether medication or therapy, then they can get back to living a more normal life,” Brown said.
Kenosha Area Aging and Family Services, Inc. recently surveyed 100 of their Meals on Wheel clients on their mental health, and the results were unsettling.
Twenty-two percent said they had been feeling sad or depressed for all of the past 30 days, while 37 percent said they had been depressed anywhere from 15 to 29 days in the past month.
While a Meals on Wheels client might not be the average senior — clients often have multiple health problems that cause them to need home-delivered meals — Brown said he was surprised at how prevalent depression was among clients.
“That has prompted us to make a few more referrals,” he said.
Those referrals are to the Eldereach program, which, under the direction of Ruth Ann Challis, provides emotional support and service referrals for seniors experiencing mental health problems.
Challis visits seniors in their homes to talk about issues or to help guide them to services. She makes about 25 visits a month.
“Most of the people I visit in their homes have depression or grief issues,” she said. “It helps to have somebody with them.”
This generation of seniors tends to be more stoic, she said, which can be a hindrance to getting help.
“They’ve been through a lot of loss…I think they tend to keep things inside,” she said. “They feel like it’s a weakness if they can’t be strong and overcome it themselves. Trying to get them to accept help is sometimes difficult.”
Inez Andrews didn’t know about her options for seeking help when she moved to Kenosha two years ago. Andrews found herself fighting with her roommate, and side effects from a stroke left her dizzy and unable to live her life the way she wanted to.
“I’ve always been very, very independent,” she said. “I’ve always worked and taken care of myself. There’s a lot of things I can’t do anymore, and that made me depressed. I really hate imposing on anyone.”
Challis encouraged Andrews to find a new home and helped her find a support group.
“She told me to keep my head and try not to be depressed because things were going to work out for me,” Andrews said.
Challis also put Andrews in touch with the Foster Grandparent program, through which she became a foster grandparent for kids at A Child’s Place, a day care center for kids whose parents are looking for employment at the Job Center.
Four days a week, Andrews reads to the kids at the day care, which she says is a “great enjoyment.”
“They really make you feel good,” she said of the kids. “They hug me and call me ‘grandma.’ It keeps my mind occupied.”
Challis said the biggest obstacle is dispelling the myth that senior depression is a natural part of aging.
“Most people, about 80 percent, can usually be helped with medication or therapy or both,” she said. “Mental health doesn’t get talked about like some other illnesses. If you had cancer, wouldn’t you go to see a cancer specialist? When you have a mental health issue, it’s the same thing.”
“Like any other illness, it’s ok to get help,” she said.
KENOSHA NEWS PHOTO BY PAUL WILLIAMS
Inez Andrews, a foster grandparent at A Child’s Place day care, feeds Payton. Andrews became a volunteer with the program through the Eldereach program, which helps seniors who are having mental health problems. Andrews said the work makes her feel better and helped her get over her depression.
