Comments on: May is Older American Month http://nursingassistants.net/2007/05/02/may-is-older-american-month/ Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:36:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Laurie Young http://nursingassistants.net/2007/05/02/may-is-older-american-month/comment-page-1/#comment-37325 Laurie Young Tue, 15 May 2007 19:50:14 +0000 http://nursingassistants.net/2007/05/02/may-is-older-american-month/#comment-37325 Older Americans’ Mental Health Week is the last full week in May. Although losses are a part of life, depression and other mental health problems are not a normal part of aging! Older adults have the same incidence of mental illness as people of other ages, but their mental health problems are more likely to go unnoticed and untreated. In fact, adults older than age 75 have the highest suicide rate of any age group. Because they often come into daily contact with older adults, Nurse Assistants can be important professionals in the identification of possible mental health problems in older adults. Working in coordination with their supervisors, they can be key to helping older adults get help and live healthy lives. Often, simply listening, understanding, and supporting individuals can help alleviate feelings of depression. At other times, helping to solve basic problems (like shopping or arranging for visits) can help improve an older adult’s mood. But sometimes, help from a mental health professional may be required. These symptoms may call for consultation with a health care professional: –Sadness that has lasted longer than two weeks –Consistent worries about issues such as money, family and health –Consistent trouble sleeping or concentrating –Frequent trouble remembering things or feeling confused in familiar places –Have more than one alcoholic drink a day or take more medication than prescribed Treatment works the same whether someone is 18 or 80. Even better, we now know more about prevention. Research shows that eating right, getting exercise and enough sleep, exercising the mind, and staying close to friends and family all go a long way to maintaining and enhancing mental health. These are all things that Nurse Assistants an help older adults with. In many health care settings it is the Nurse Assistant and other allied health personnel who spend the most time with the client and so are in the best position to recognize subtle changes or observe and report new or unusual behaviors, attitudes and conversations. For more information, see www.owl-national.org Thank you! Older Americans’ Mental Health Week is the last full week in May.

Although losses are a part of life, depression and other mental health problems are not a normal part of aging! Older adults have the same incidence of mental illness as people of other ages, but their mental health problems are more likely to go unnoticed and untreated. In fact, adults older than age 75 have the highest suicide rate of any age group.

Because they often come into daily contact with older adults, Nurse Assistants can be important professionals in the identification of possible mental health problems in older adults. Working in coordination with their supervisors, they can be key to helping older adults get help and live healthy lives.

Often, simply listening, understanding, and supporting individuals can help alleviate feelings of depression. At other times, helping to solve basic problems (like shopping or arranging for visits) can help improve an older adult’s mood. But sometimes, help from a mental health professional may be required.

These symptoms may call for consultation with a health care professional:

–Sadness that has lasted longer than two weeks
–Consistent worries about issues such as money, family and health
–Consistent trouble sleeping or concentrating
–Frequent trouble remembering things or feeling confused in familiar places
–Have more than one alcoholic drink a day or take more medication than prescribed

Treatment works the same whether someone is 18 or 80. Even better, we now know more about prevention. Research shows that eating right, getting exercise and enough sleep, exercising the mind, and staying close to friends and family all go a long way to maintaining and enhancing mental health. These are all things that Nurse Assistants an help older adults with.

In many health care settings it is the Nurse Assistant and other allied health personnel who spend the most time with the client and so are in the best position to recognize subtle changes or observe and report new or unusual behaviors, attitudes and conversations.

For more information, see http://www.owl-national.org
Thank you!

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