In an aging world that is confronted with unprecedented demographic shifts, the mental health needs of older adults have emerged as one of the most critical, but overlooked, public health challenge of our time.
Because families and health care systems have difficulty adapting, the need for specialized elderly care has never been more urgent. India is currently confronted with a serious shortage of resources, trained care providers and extensive health care systems to adequately tackle the needs of its elderly citizens.
The Mind-Body Link
The increasing evidence suggests that tackling mental health is not only about psychological well -being – it is fundamental for the results of physical health and the overall quality of life for seniors.
Although much attention is paid to physical health, mental health remains a seriously neglected area in the elderly. Depression, anxiety, dementia, loneliness and age -related cognitive decline are common, yet subdued and under -treated issues in this demography.
Doctors say that untreated mental health problems can considerably aggravate physical conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and mobility restrictions. Mental need also weakens immunity and hinders the restoration of disease, creating a cycle of declining health.
The relationship between mental and physical health is increasingly intertwined with age.
Research by the National Institute on Aging in the US suggests that depression increases the risk of physical illness and disability, while compliance with treatment regimes for chronic disorders is also reduced. Conversely, chronic pain and physical limitations can cause or worsen mental health problems, creating a difficult cycle that reduces the quality of life.
Wedding figures
“We are confronted with a silent crisis. The figures are amazing, but mental health care for older adults remains hopelessly insufficient in most health care systems,” says Hemant Bhargav, associate professor of Integrative Medicine at Nimhans, Bengaluru. “About 14% of adults aged 60 and older live with a mental disorder, good for 10.6% of the total disability in older adults worldwide. Depression – who affect about 22% of older men and 28% of older women – are still an estimated 85% of the elderly people with depression who do not receive professional help,” he says.
Social isolation affects around 25% of older adults and represents an important risk factor for mental disorders. “Loneliness can be just as harmful to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Yet we rarely protect it or treat it as serious health problems,” he says. “We only see the tip of the iceberg. Many cases do not remain diagnosed because symptoms are wrongly attributed to normal aging, or because physical complaints mask underlying psychological need,” Dr. Bhargav.
Shorters on the fact that various critical factors continue to hinder access to adequate mental health care for seniors, the doctor says that many older adults grew up at a time when psychological problems had a considerable stigma. “They often see help seek help as a sign of weakness or moral failure. I have let elderly patients say that they would rather suffer in silence than to admit that they struggle emotionally,” he says.
Community participation
Arvind Kasthuri, head of Geriatrics, St John’s Medical College, underlines the importance of focusing the attention of health care on the elderly, with a focus on community participation. He says that a strong primary care program is essential to promote, maintain and maintain the health of the elderly.
Group -based interventions that combine social involvement with the support of mental health show promising results. These programs handle multiple risk factors at the same time. They fight insulation and offer structured activities that promote both physical and mental well -being.
St. John’s is running for example Grama Hiriyara Kendras (Senior centers in the village) in Mugalur, Kugur, V Kallahalli and Handesahalli in the Anekal Taluk of Bengaluru Urban District from 2014. “In addition to activity centers, these are these, these, these Kendras Care for holistic care about the medical and social aspects of seniors, apart from the provision of counseling to the seniors and their families, where necessary, ”says Dr. Kasthuri. KendrasHe says they are now trying to push this concept to other NGOs.
This is essential because an important demographic shift is expected in 2050, when the older population in India will surpass the number of children (0-15) for the first time. “This is something that has never happened before, so that the World Health Organization (WHO) 2021-2030 explains as the decade of healthy aging. Currently, India has around 15 crore people over 60. This is larger than the combined population of the VK and Australia.
Barriers for care
Dr. Kasthuri points to the most important challenges with which the elderly are confronted and points to the “five as: accessibility, consciousness, affordability, absence phenomenon and accountability or the lack of one of these or all five.” From transport problems to financial limitations, older adults are confronted with countless practical barriers to receiving care, he says.
“How many older people have access to health care when they need it and where they need it? It can be geographical access, physical access, financial and social access. Also, how many of our elderly people actually have the health literacy they need? Even if they go to a health center, it is very likely that they might not have to come to the health worker,” he says.
Anoop Amarnath, chairman, geriatric medicine at Manipal Hospitals, says that as much as physical health is important, brain health – although often neglected, is just as important.
“Cognitive decline, which can be affected by a person to manage daily activities, can be related to a number of factors stress, anxiety, ultra-worked foods, lifestyle diseases, lack of physical activity, environmental pollution, smoking and alcohol,” he says. Short -term loss, irritability, repetitive conversation, the inability to have a coherent conversation, to forget recent events and a family history of cognitive disorders can all be an indication of a risk of cognitive decline, Dr. Amarnath.
Dr. Amarnath claims that it is very important to have a good social circle to ensure that the health of the brain is maintained, says that activities such as solving crosswords, Sudoku and Scrabble are also very effective. Learning new skills, such as playing a musical instrument, a new language or even an activity such as cooking or painting is very useful, he says.
Nutrition plays a major role in the health of the brain. Natural and unprocessed foods such as fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts and herbs must be included in the daily diet.
As much as physical health is checked and evaluated by health controls, cognitive health must be regularly evaluated by cognitive tests, Dr. Amarnath.
Innovation for diagnostic puzzles
Mental health symptoms often overlap with physical disorders or side effects of medicines, creating diagnostic puzzles that require specialized expertise. Mental disorders with comorbid physical diseases are challenges, because depression and fear can manifest themselves differently in older adults than in younger populations.
Despite these challenges, innovative approaches such as yoga and meditation show promising when tackling the mental health needs of older adults. Studies show that these practices can improve both perceived physical and mental health problems and at the same time relieve depressive symptoms.
By the way, digital innovations break down geographical barriers to care. From TeleHealth services that connect seniors with mental health care professionals to mobile apps who guide meditation and stress reduction, technology expands the reach of mental health care than traditional environments.
“Learning to use new apps or devices can be therapeutic itself. It promotes active learning and cognitive involvement and offers access to sources of support,” says Dr. Bhargav.
Dr. Bhargav’s team published a research article on Tele-Yoga for older populations during the COVID-19 Pandemie, and Nimhans has now completed regular tele-yoga programs for stress management for five years. These tele-yoga sessions are still underway, and every older person who feels lonely and wants to make contact with a larger group of like-minded people can participate in these sessions for free, with the help of Zoom. (Meeting ID: 958 0857 0444, pass code: 00000, from Monday to Friday 6.30 am to 7:30 am)
Nimhans also offers free Tele-Counseling Services under the National Tele-Manas program. People can use these free figures: 14416 or 1800-89-14416 to speak with a mental health care adviser.
This article was first published in the e-book Shades of Gray van de Hindu: geriatric care and its social and economic facets
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