Mental health services for the elderly?

[Christiaanistan]

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=306038

I argued in the thread, linked above, that an 80 year old man who shot at an intruder should be considered to have been in a compromised mental state. Not everyone agreed with me on this, but I happen to know a few people, in about the same age-group, who are having to live alone.

Besides the fact that it's not good for a person to be living alone at this age without at least a dog or a cat around, I think that it would be relatively inexpensive to try to provide these people with better mental health and counseling services. It would be economical because I think it would extend the time these people could continue living on their own before having to move into a nursing home, so I would expect a cost-savings, actually.

In any case, I wanted to highlight this as a particular concern that I don't think that most younger folk think about very often, but everyone here has this sort of thing in their future.

Edit: clarified the point of his age

[Scomagia]

Well, we know that depression is a big issue among the elderly, due in part to their isolation. Obviously this needs to be addressed as it lowers the quality of life for these people during the precious few years they have remaining. An issue with the mental care of the elderly that I feel goes less noticed, however, is end of life anxiety. It's one thing for a young person to know that they will die sometime in the future. It's another thing to know that you likely won't live another decade, or half-decade, or through the end of the year. That sort of knowledge is obviously distressing, though the support given is often lack-luster, if there's any support given at all. Overall, I think we need to pay more attention to the elderly in general and remember that, even in advanced age, they possess the same feelings and needs as the rest of us.

[Christiaanistan]

Well, we know that depression is a big issue among the elderly, due in part to their isolation. Obviously this needs to be addressed as it lowers the quality of life for these people during the precious few years they have remaining. An issue with the mental care of the elderly that I feel goes less noticed, however, is end of life anxiety. It's one thing for a young person to know that they will die sometime in the future. It's another thing to know that you likely won't live another decade, or half-decade, or through the end of the year. That sort of knowledge is obviously distressing, though the support given is often lack-luster, if there's any support given at all. Overall, I think we need to pay more attention to the elderly in general and remember that, even in advanced age, they possess the same feelings and needs as the rest of us.

Well, I know a 102 year old lady who has known for two decades that she won't make it through the end of the year, and at this point in her life, she has reached a point where she is more exasperated than anything. The one thing that she needs is simple stuff to give her life a little luster and meaning, which she gets by playing Bingo once a week and continuing to get her hair done, makeup applied and nails painted. Really, it's surprising, but the things that really give our lives meaning, toward the end, are just regular maintenance things, simple social activities, and little sips of excitement and anticipation.

The biggest complaint that I hear from the elderly, though, is just people either ignoring them or wasting too much of their time. The thing is, being alone makes them depressed, but getting too much at one time, except on odd occasions they're up to it, makes them tired and frustrated.

I'm not sure really how to address the anxiety about dying, though. It's a toughie. No amount of pretentious philosophy makes it any easier. You eventually wake up one day, and you see "the dark at the end of the tunnel," realizing that it's going to get worse, realizing that you are not going to "come through alright," that in the end it's completely hopeless, that you are the most miserable you have ever felt and will feel more miserable before you're finished, that your indignities will continue to multiply, that you will become increasingly a burden on others, and that's a pretty dark sort of thing to realize.

[Fionnuala_Saoirse]

I argued in the thread, linked above, that an 80 year old man who shot at an intruder should be considered to have been in a compromised mental state.

Can't be bothered reading a whole other thread. Why?

[Christiaanistan]

I argued in the thread, linked above, that an 80 year old man who shot at an intruder should be considered to have been in a compromised mental state.

Can't be bothered reading a whole other thread. Why?

Well, he had been attacked, he had been robbed several times before and possibly by the same people, and I happen to know that being old and living alone can put a person into a compromised state-of-mind. I've had the same discussion in that thread, and I'm really just agreeing to disagree on the subject.

[Scomagia]

Well, we know that depression is a big issue among the elderly, due in part to their isolation. Obviously this needs to be addressed as it lowers the quality of life for these people during the precious few years they have remaining. An issue with the mental care of the elderly that I feel goes less noticed, however, is end of life anxiety. It's one thing for a young person to know that they will die sometime in the future. It's another thing to know that you likely won't live another decade, or half-decade, or through the end of the year. That sort of knowledge is obviously distressing, though the support given is often lack-luster, if there's any support given at all. Overall, I think we need to pay more attention to the elderly in general and remember that, even in advanced age, they possess the same feelings and needs as the rest of us.

Well, I know a 102 year old lady who has known for two decades that she won't make it through the end of the year, and at this point in her life, she has reached a point where she is more exasperated than anything. The one thing that she needs is simple stuff to give her life a little luster and meaning, which she gets by playing Bingo once a week and continuing to get her hair done, makeup applied and nails painted. Really, it's surprising, but the things that really give our lives meaning, toward the end, are just regular maintenance things, simple social activities, and little sips of excitement and anticipation.

The biggest complaint that I hear from the elderly, though, is just people either ignoring them or wasting too much of their time. The thing is, being alone makes them depressed, but getting too much at one time, except on odd occasions they're up to it, makes them tired and frustrated.

I'm not sure really how to address the anxiety about dying, though. It's a toughie. No amount of pretentious philosophy makes it any easier. You eventually wake up one day, and you see "the dark at the end of the tunnel," realizing that it's going to get worse, realizing that you are not going to "come through alright," that in the end it's completely hopeless, that you are the most miserable you have ever felt and will feel more miserable before you're finished, that your indignities will continue to multiply, that you will become increasingly a burden on others, and that's a pretty dark sort of thing to realize.

Basically we need to stop pretending they don't exist. As for the anxiety, iirc there has been some hope in fighting it through the use of psychedelics.

[Fionnuala_Saoirse]

Can't be bothered reading a whole other thread. Why?

Well, he had been attacked, he had been robbed several times before, and I happen to know that being old and living alone can put a person into a compromised state-of-mind. I've had the same discussion in that thread, and I'm really just agreeing to disagree on the subject.

None of that points to him being in a 'compromised mental state' and yours is quite a patronising view to hold really.

Nor am I in the habit of needlessly medicalising normal life situations.

[Andarro]

http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=306038

I argued in the thread, linked above, that an 80 year old man who shot at an intruder should be considered to have been in a compromised mental state. Not everyone agreed with me on this, but I happen to know a few people, in about the same age-group, who are having to live alone.

Besides the fact that it's not good for a person to be living alone at this age without at least a dog or a cat around, I think that it would be relatively inexpensive to try to provide these people with better mental health and counseling services. It would be economical because I think it would extend the time these people could continue living on their own before having to move into a nursing home, so I would expect a cost-savings, actually.

In any case, I wanted to highlight this as a particular concern that I don't think that most younger folk think about very often, but everyone here has this sort of thing in their future.

Edit: clarified the point of his age

Very insightful, however, what should that man have done about the intruder? Invite the person in for tea and crumpets?
Maybe have a battle of wits using poetry or play rock paper scissors?

There is a clear difference between a guest and an intruder (someone who has no business being in your house) and self defense in no way makes a person mentally deranged.

[Scomagia]

http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=306038

I argued in the thread, linked above, that an 80 year old man who shot at an intruder should be considered to have been in a compromised mental state. Not everyone agreed with me on this, but I happen to know a few people, in about the same age-group, who are having to live alone.

Besides the fact that it's not good for a person to be living alone at this age without at least a dog or a cat around, I think that it would be relatively inexpensive to try to provide these people with better mental health and counseling services. It would be economical because I think it would extend the time these people could continue living on their own before having to move into a nursing home, so I would expect a cost-savings, actually.

In any case, I wanted to highlight this as a particular concern that I don't think that most younger folk think about very often, but everyone here has this sort of thing in their future.

Edit: clarified the point of his age

Very insightful, however, what should that man have done about the intruder? Invite the person in for tea and crumpets?
Maybe have a battle of wits using poetry or play rock paper scissors?

There is a clear difference between a guest and an intruder (someone who has no business being in your house) and self defense in no way makes a person mentally deranged.

That's not the point of this thread. Go to the other thread if you want to discuss that case.

[Cerillium]

http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=306038

Besides the fact that it's not good for a person to be living alone at this age without at least a dog or a cat around, I think that it would be relatively inexpensive to try to provide these people with better mental health and counseling services. It would be economical because I think it would extend the time these people could continue living on their own before having to move into a nursing home, so I would expect a cost-savings, actually.

In any case, I wanted to highlight this as a particular concern that I don't think that most younger folk think about very often, but everyone here has this sort of thing in their future.

What makes you believe the US government would spend more on the elderly? They've already seen medical services and routine tests no longer covered by Medicare (or supplemental policies). Their prescription formulary grows shorter each year; many drugs aren't covered at all and must be paid out of pocket. "Outpatient" services aren't necessarily covered and hospitals now code overnight stays as "observation" thus the elderly person must pay out of pocket. Insurance premiums are horrifically high and deductibles impossible to pay in a timely manner. The "doughnut hole" leaves many in serious debt and quite a few seniors don't purchase necessary medications because the expense is too great.

I'm shocked by how America devalues its elderly. It's almost as if the government is saying, "Go on, get on with it and die already". They aren't going to provide anything they deem as "frivolous" such as mental health and counseling services. I watch my wife's elderly family members struggle and I attempt to sort their policies for them. It's far easier for me to purchase an uncle's heart medication outright than watch him die because his supplemental policy won't cover the cost at all.

[Andarro]

Very insightful, however, what should that man have done about the intruder? Invite the person in for tea and crumpets?
Maybe have a battle of wits using poetry or play rock paper scissors?

There is a clear difference between a guest and an intruder (someone who has no business being in your house) and self defense in no way makes a person mentally deranged.

That's not the point of this thread. Go to the other thread if you want to discuss that case.

The door to that discussion was left wide open when the subject matter was mentioned in this thread's description. The two threads are suggestively linked by implication.

More to the point, I find it just a little offensive that a person would be considered mentally compromised simply by living alone.

[Scomagia]

That's not the point of this thread. Go to the other thread if you want to discuss that case.

The door to that discussion was left wide open when the subject matter was mentioned in this thread's description. The two threads are suggestively linked by implication.

More to the point, I find it just a little offensive that a person would be considered mentally compromised simply by living alone.

It was mentioned only to explain the reason the thread was created


As someone who spends the vast majority of each day in solitude, I share your indignation.

[The 54th Squadron]

http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=306038

I argued in the thread, linked above, that an 80 year old man who shot at an intruder should be considered to have been in a compromised mental state. Not everyone agreed with me on this, but I happen to know a few people, in about the same age-group, who are having to live alone.

Besides the fact that it's not good for a person to be living alone at this age without at least a dog or a cat around, I think that it would be relatively inexpensive to try to provide these people with better mental health and counseling services. It would be economical because I think it would extend the time these people could continue living on their own before having to move into a nursing home, so I would expect a cost-savings, actually.

In any case, I wanted to highlight this as a particular concern that I don't think that most younger folk think about very often, but everyone here has this sort of thing in their future.

Edit: clarified the point of his age

As long as it's not some government-funded bullshit which takes more money out of my paycheck, I guess it's not that much of problem.

[Scomagia]

http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=306038

I argued in the thread, linked above, that an 80 year old man who shot at an intruder should be considered to have been in a compromised mental state. Not everyone agreed with me on this, but I happen to know a few people, in about the same age-group, who are having to live alone.

Besides the fact that it's not good for a person to be living alone at this age without at least a dog or a cat around, I think that it would be relatively inexpensive to try to provide these people with better mental health and counseling services. It would be economical because I think it would extend the time these people could continue living on their own before having to move into a nursing home, so I would expect a cost-savings, actually.

In any case, I wanted to highlight this as a particular concern that I don't think that most younger folk think about very often, but everyone here has this sort of thing in their future.

Edit: clarified the point of his age

Nope.

Nope to what?

[Andarro]

The door to that discussion was left wide open when the subject matter was mentioned in this thread's description. The two threads are suggestively linked by implication.

More to the point, I find it just a little offensive that a person would be considered mentally compromised simply by living alone.

It was mentioned only to explain the reason the thread was created


As someone who spends the vast majority of each day in solitude, I share your indignation.

The right to Freely associate includes the option to not associate, you have my respect.

[Avenio]

I think armchair psychoanalyzing the guy does precisely nothing to help anyone involved in this farce. Leave it to the experts to decide, not self-aggrandizing teenagers who fancy themselves experts on the human condition.