Most older people do not seek help for mental health issues due to lack of awareness about the effective treatments that are available and ingrained attitudes towards emotional problems. New data from Age UK reveals that more than six in 10 people in the UK aged 65 or over have experienced depression and anxiety.
Why don’t older adults seek mental health services?
Katon and Livingston ( 31) identified the stigma of mental illness as the most fundamental reason why older adults chose not to seek mental health services and the Surgeon General's report on mental health ( 5) highlighted stigma as a powerful obstacle to seeking care among the elderly.
Why do healthcare professionals miss treatable mental health problems in older adults?
In older adults, particularly those aged 65 and older, healthcare professionals may miss treatable mental health problems because the symptoms may present differently. In fact, the CDC estimates that a significant portion of the senior population never receives treatment for treatable mental health problems.
What happens to people with mental illnesses as they get older?
In other words, as people get older, others assume that they have or are increasingly susceptible to mental or physical impairments that make them no longer able to contribute in a way they once were, decreasing their value to the community. "People with mental illnesses in general get really poor care.
Why don’t people seek mental health treatment?
If someone truly believes they aren’t sick, they feel no need to seek or accept treatment. A person may acknowledge some mental health concerns but can lack full awareness of their significance or really don’t understand they have an actual illness.
Why do old people not care about mental health?
Research shows that older adults are often less comfortable seeking care from a mental health professional than their younger counterparts. Due to historical shame and ignorance surrounding mental illnesses and psychological problems, stigma tends to be more powerful among those who came of age before the 1960s.
What are three reasons that someone would not seek help for a mental disorder?
8 Reasons Why People Don't Get Treatment for Mental Illness Fear and shame. One of the most common reasons for not seeking help is fear and shame. ... Lack of insight. ... Limited awareness. ... Feelings of inadequacy. ... Distrust. ... Hopelessness. ... Unavailability. ... Practical barriers.
Why do people avoid treatment for mental illness?
More than half of people with mental illness don't receive help for their disorders. Often, people avoid or delay seeking treatment due to concerns about being treated differently or fears of losing their jobs and livelihood.
Why are mental health problems in older people often overlooked?
Substance abuse problems among older people are often overlooked or misdiagnosed. Mental health problems are under-identified by health-care professionals and older people themselves, and the stigma surrounding these conditions makes people reluctant to seek help.
Why do people not seek care?
Traditional barriers limiting access to or ease of seeking medical care, such as lack of health insurance and time constraints, were the most commonly cited reasons for avoiding medical care, consistent with prior research.
Which is a barrier to seeking mental health treatment?
The results revealed that the most common barriers are fear of stigmatization, lack of awareness of mental health services, sociocultural scarcity, scarcity of financial support, and lack of geographical accessibility, which limit the patients to utilize mental health services.
Why do some people resist therapy?
Many clients resist because counselors focus too quickly on the clients' feelings, behaviors or sense of responsibility. If a client resists because they feel everyone else has the problem, then focusing on the client presents a miscommunication.”
What are the major issues relating to the health and wellbeing of older people?
Common conditions in older age include hearing loss, cataracts and refractive errors, back and neck pain and osteoarthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, depression and dementia. As people age, they are more likely to experience several conditions at the same time.
How does old age affect mental health?
Mental health problems are common among seniors and may include isolation, affective and anxiety disorders, dementia, and psychosis, among others. Many seniors also suffer from sleep and behavioral disorders, cognitive deterioration or confusion states as a result of physical disorders or surgical interventions.
How does age affect therapy?
The data suggest that older patients are perceived as sicker, but less treatable than younger patients or patients of the same age group as the therapist. Residents express a strong preference for treating younger patients, but more readily develop a treatment relationship with same age patients.
Why don't older people seek help?
Older people still not seeking help for mental health issues. Alison Bloomer. News, 14 January 2020. Most older people do not seek help for mental health issues due to lack of awareness about the effective treatments that are available and ingrained attitudes towards emotional problems. New data from Age UK reveals that more than six in 10 people ...
Who is the National Clinical Director for Dementia and Older People's Mental Health?
Alistair Burns, National Clinical Director for Dementia and Older People’s Mental Health at NHS England and NHS Improvement said: “Older people sometimes feel they have to have a ‘stiff upper lip’ towards health, but we all have our own battles to fight and seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness, so anyone out there who is feeling down and needs help, can and should get it from the NHS.
Do older people need talking therapy?
Although the NHS is treating more people for depression and anxiety than ever before evidence shows that older people aren’t always seeking the help they need . This comes despite evidence showing they have virtually the same chances of recovery and less chance of their wellbeing deteriorating than their younger counterparts after a talking therapy treatment.
Does the NHS help older people?
NHS England and Age UK have joined forces in a campaign to encourage older people to access treatment for mental health conditions, aims to boost the number of older people getting the help they need by writing to GPs to urge them to look out for the symptoms of mental health problems in older people, along with making them aware of the NHS support services available.
Why do people who don't receive mental health care get worse?
People who need mental health care don't receive it, their condition gets worse, and, as they get older, their access to care declines further as there aren't enough physicians in the geriatric field to provide that care. "One problem with the health care system is that it is split, and it is very disorganized," Jeste says.
What are the biggest concerns for older people?
Community and family support decline later in life, and loneliness is one of the biggest concerns for older people.
Why is a longer lifespan important?
Rather, a longer lifespan exposes a person more, both in terms of mental and physical conditions, which may affect a person's overall psyche. "The longer you live, the more chance there is for illness to target you, and depression is a risk factor for people who have chronic illness, especially when it's chronic pain," Garfinkel says.
What is the stigma of ageism?
The stigma of ageism includes negative attitudes, stereotypes and behaviors directed toward older adults based solely on their perceived age. In other words, as people get older, others assume that they have or are increasingly susceptible to mental or physical impairments that make them no longer able to contribute in a way they once were, decreasing their value to the community.
What percentage of people over 60 have mental health problems?
More than 20 percent of adults aged 60 and over suffer from a mental or neurological disorder, and the most common neuropsychiatric disorders in this age group are dementia and depression, according to the World Health Organization.
Why are mental health services underutilized?
Further, mental health services may be underutilized by older patients as they may be in denial, may not have adequate insurance coverage, or their other physical chronic conditions may take precedence during a primary care visit , leaving their mental health unchecked.
How many people will be 65 by 2060?
The number of Americans between the ages of 65 and older is projected to double from 46 million to more than 98 million by 2060, according to the American Psychological Association. But there's a positive side to this ledger. More health systems across the country are merging mental health care into primary care visits, ...
How severe mental illness among seniors is as a problem
The CDC estimates that twenty percent of seniors have some kind of mental illness that is not a normal part of the aging process. These illnesses range from dementia and other cognitive impairment to depression and anxiety.
Why signs of mental health problems in seniors are often missed
Seniors face many challenges as they age. The loss of a spouse, the loss of friends, the onset of medical problems, and limited mobility all contribute to the likelihood of developing mental health problems. Coping with these challenges often changes seniors’ behavior in subtle ways.
How untreated mental health problems affect overall health
Untreated depression and anxiety wreak havoc on the human body. They increase the number of stress hormones in the bloodstream, which in turn elevate blood pressure and contribute to more inflammation throughout the body.
Signs and symptoms of mental health problems that need treatment
According to the CDC, someone who is depressed has feelings of sadness or anxiety that last for weeks at a time. He or she may also experience:
What to do about untreated mental health problems
It is essential to seek help when the signs and symptoms of a potential mental health problem are identified. Considering the large number of undiagnosed and untreated cases, family, friends, and healthcare workers will need to work together to prevent symptoms from turning into further illness.