Today is the 2019 World Mental Health Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about global suicide rates. Did you know that even older adults face mental health concerns? In Virginia alone, 11-17% of older adults report that they “rarely” or “never” receive the emotional support they need.
At BrightStar Care, each and every one of our patients is special. And we strive every day to not only meet our patients’ physical needs, but also their mental and emotional needs.
Why Do We Need World Mental Health Day?
Because mental health affects all aspects of daily life, improving it is just as important as preventing infectious and chronic diseases. Fifteen years ago, the World Federation for Mental Health founded World Mental Health Day. In conjunction with the World Health Organization, the objective of World Mental Health Day is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health. Two of the largest barriers to improving public mental health are the stigma attached to receiving mental health care and access to mental health services.
What Mental Health Concerns are Faced by Older Adults?
Older adults are not immune to mental health concerns. For more than a decade, US government has named the mental health of older Americans as a priority – specifically in the Healthy People 2010 objectives, the 2005 White House Conference on Aging, and the 1999 Surgeon General’s report on mental health.
This year’s World Mental Health Day focuses on reducing suicide rates. Did you know older men have the highest suicide rate of any age group? Men aged 85 years or older have a suicide rate of 45.23 per 100,000, compared to an overall rate of 11.01 per 100,000 for all ages. In general, 20% of people age 55 years or older report some time of mental health concerns. The most common concerns include anxiety, severe cognitive impairment, and depression.
How can BrightStar Care Help?
BrightStar Care’s kind and caring staff assists in providing the social support that our older adult patients need. Our staff offers companionship if you find yourself more and more lonely as you age. If your inability to complete daily tasks makes you feel depressed, we can help with those activities. We can help manage and prompt you to take any medications to improve your mental health. We can help you age at home and avoid living in a facility, where people report a lower quality of life and increased rates of anxiety and depression. We would love to accompany you on walks, assist in getting you to PT/OT appointments, and participate with you in other forms of exercise. Increased endorphins provide a natural depression deterrent!
If you are interested the services that BrightStar Care offers, you can call us 24/7 at (703) 496-4616.
References:
https://www.cdc.gov/aging/pdf/mental_health.pdf