By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
Within the next decade, more people in the U.S. will be over 65 years old than under 18 years old.
The growing older adult population could have significant societal implications, said Dr. Nancy Orel in her keynote address at NAMI Wood County’s recent Mental Health Conference on Supporting Mental Health in Aging.
Among the obstacles to supporting mental health for older adults is the prevalence of ageism or discrimination against them based on negative stereotypes. Ageism against older adults has negative consequences in areas like employment, healthcare and mental health, she said.
“In the workforce, individuals have been prevented from being hired or promoted because of age. In medical settings, there could be misdiagnoses or a rationing of medical resources because of their age,” Orel said.
Ageist assumptions, often associated with ideas of dementia, also lead to mental health issues being overlooked.
There is also a psychological toll of ageism that has a “direct and damaging effect on the mental health of older adults,” she said.
Repeated exposure to ageism serves as a constant stressor, resulting in internalized ageism that “fosters feelings of being worthless, depression and anxiety,” she said.
Older adults are more likely to be misdiagnosed or have their mental health issues overlooked due to ageist assumptions
This population also faces numerous life transitions and challenges that range from retirement, widowhood/divorce, and caregiving to declining health and relocation.
Older adults face numerous life transitions and challenges, including taking on new roles, retirement, caregiving, widowhood/divorce, declining health, and relocation. The older adult population in the U.S. [09:18] has grown significantly, from 4% in 1900 to 18% currently, and is projected to reach 22% by 2050.
According to Orel, among the strategies to address ageism are education, advocacy, expanding mental health services, creating age-inclusive environments, and promoting a positive aging narrative that highlights the strengths and resilience of older adults.
“We have to challenge negative stereotypes and focus on psychological resilience,” she said. “We have to highlight life experiences and strengths, and we have to limit focus on cognitive declines.”
Because the older population is very diverse, she urged others to consider individual differences when working with them.
There is a need for increased education, training and services to support the mental health and well-being of older adults.
“It’s important for us to challenge ageist stereotypes and promote positive aging narratives,” Orel said.
In the workplace or as volunteers, the older population is more agreeable, conscientious and better at regulating emotions, orienting their attention, and ignoring distractions.
Common age-related changes and challenges
“Fear of dying is human; fear of aging is cultural,” said Lisa Myers, director of social services for Wood County Committee on Aging, quoting Ashton Applewhite, author of “This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism.”
Internalized ageism also impacts individuals’ perspectives on getting older, she said.
Myers cited research by the World Health Organization that shows older people who hold negative views about their own aging do not recover as well from disability. They live on average seven and a half years less than people with positive attitudes about aging.
“We don’t want to perpetuate ageism in any way,” she said. “So you need to recognize that as clinicians, and be mindful of that mental bias that we might have and keep them in check.”
Because changes in vision, hearing, cognition and mobility are common age-related changes that can impact daily lives, Myers suggested that developing empathy and perspective-taking is crucial for working with older adults.
She led the group in some simulations to help the audience create empathy to understand better the changes their client might be experiencing. Myers also encouraged effective communication strategies, including reducing distractions, maintaining eye contact, speaking slowly and being patient and attentive to nonverbal cues.
“Sometimes people just want to feel heard, and they want to be seen,” she said.
Grief, loss pose unique challenges to older adults
“Our culture sees grief as a kind of malady, a terrifying, messy emotion that needs to be cleaned up and put behind us as soon as possible,” said Maren Simon, clinical director and grief counselor at Monarch Grief Center.
The reality is that grief is a natural, healthy response to loss that affects individuals differently. It can impact the whole person emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually, she added.
Grief can be complicated by the nature of the death, multiple losses, lack of social support, mental health issues and other major life stressors.
Older adults face unique challenges with grief. They often experience multiple and cumulative losses that can exacerbate their anticipation of loss of family, friends or themselves. Changes in their independence, cognition or physical health can also impact how they process their losses, she said.
“Often we (as clinicians) see intense loneliness and preoccupation thinking about the deceased, but those reaction are common,” Simon said. It’s important to give them permission to grieve, “however it shows up for them. There is no ‘should’ or ‘shouldn’t’ or timeline in how to grieve.”
She likes to help people identify and validate common grief reactions and find some kind of support system. “The number one predictor of someone’s wellbeing and grief is the support they have,” she said.
When people seek support from a professional or with family and friends, they are looking for the opportunity to talk about their person. “It can be such a gift that we give to folks to be able to do that, to say their name, to share a memory,” she said. “When we are presented with a story, we are not tasked to fix anything, we are there to lend support and hold the memory of their person.”
For more information about the conference or local resources for supporting mental health in aging, visit the NAMI Wood County website.
