American Psychological Association
Changes in Mental Health and Mental Processes
Demographic, Economic, and Social Issues
Psychological Problems of Older Adults
- Dementia, the irreversible deterioration of intellectual ability accompanied by emotional disturbance, afflicts between 5 and 7 percent of adults over age 65 and 30 percent of those over age 85. Unlike milder forms of mental decline with normal aging, dementia may lead to significant impairment in social functioning. People with dementia often suffer from depression, anxiety, and paranoia.
- Six percent of older adults suffer from anxiety disorders, and the most common anxiety diagnosis is generalized anxiety disorder, in which a person experiences dread, apprehension, and tension for a period of at least 6 months.
- The highest suicide rate of any age group is in older adults, primarily older Caucasian men who live alone.
- The incidence of sexual dysfunction increases with age for both men and women.
- Sleep problems increase with age, and about one-half of those over age 80 complain of sleep difficulty.
- Ten to 15 percent of older adults exhibit hypochondriasis, the persistent belief that one has a medical disorder despite the lack of medical findings.
- Prevalence of alcohol abuse and substance dependence among those age 65 and over is 2 to 5 percent for men and 1 percent for women.
- Drug abuse among older adults typically takes the form of prescription medication abuse, and older adults take 25 percent of the medication taken in the United States, which underscores that drug abuse among aging adults is often a result of having too many medications prescribed for them.
- Depression is a negative emotion frequently characterized by sadness, feelings of helplessness, and a sense of loss. Those with depression are likely to have an abrupt onset of symptoms, a history of psychiatric problems, decreased motivation, and a tendency to complain about their memory problems. However, depression among noninstitutionalized older adults is less prevalent than depression in younger adults.
- Behavior disorders in those over age 65 can take the form of physical aggression, motor overactivity (wandering), and disruptive verbal outbursts. Common causes of behavior disorders include delirium, depression, dementia, and psychosis.
- Alzheimer's Disease is a progressive disease that leaves a victim unable to form new memories and is marked by the loss of other mental functions. One of the primary symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease is the inability to recall newly learned information, such as a change of address, and disorientation. The onset of Alzheimer's is often gradual, occurring over a period of 8 to 20 years. At first, victims suffer memory loss and often get lost--even in their own homes. Eventually, they may fail to recognize other people, including family; show childish emotions; and lose the ability to dress and clean themselves.
