About Older Persons Mental Health
Learn about the signs, symptoms and causes of older persons' mental health concerns.
Types of Older Persons Mental Health Concerns
Ageing can pose a number of difficulties that may cause mental health issues, including memory problems, depression or anxiety.
Common conditions treated by Makcay Private Hospital's Older Adult Mental Health Team include:
- Bipolar disorder/mania
- Depression
- Schizophrenia/other psychotic conditions
- Psychiatric complications of dementia where a secure environment is not required
- Other complex mental health presentations not customarily managed by GPs or aged care providers alone
Anxiety
The symptoms of anxiety in older people are sometimes not all that obvious as they often develop gradually.
Depression
An older person may have depression if, for more than two weeks, they have felt sad, down or miserable most of the time, or has lost interest or pleasure in usual activities.
Causes of Older Persons Mental Health Concerns
Many older people may have mental health issues at some point, due to:
- Illness
- Frailty and loss of independence
- Grief and loss of a loved one
- Financial stress
- A change in living arrangements
- Increasing social isolation
