Mental health program for seniors opens
Loss of a loved one, heart conditions
and even a stroke can lead seniors down a path toward depression.
The signs and symptoms are often overlooked by physicians and
ignored by the seniors suffering from them. Sadly, the spiral
sometimes ends in attempted suicide.
Suicide rates are highest among
Americans 75 and older, according to Flathead County Health
Department, at about 37.4 per 100,000 people. White men over age 85
account for the highest rate at nearly 50 suicide deaths per
100,000 people in that age group.
But it doesn’t have to be this way,
says Mary Jane Fox, director of North Valley Hospital’s Embrace
Health program.
Launched in July, the new program is an
outpatient mental health office for adults 55 and older who suffer
from emotional, behavioral or mental health disorders.
The program’s aim is to curb the
startling rate of depression among seniors and to help them elevate
their quality of life following a physical illness or significant
loss.
“Elders are at a much higher risk of
depression because it goes unrecognized,” Fox said. “That’s often
due to myths, such as that it’s natural to be depressed when you’re
old because of all the losses and health complications we face.
“But that’s a myth. Aging doesn’t
include depression. Depression is very treatable and people do
recover from it. We’ve seen people recover here and we’ve only been
open six weeks.”
The social stigma of mental illnesses
often keeps seniors from seeking the help they need, she said.
“There’s a sense that something is
wrong with them if they have a mental health issue,” Fox said, “as
if it’s their fault, when it’s not. There’s a lot of brain
chemistry involved. It’s as physical as any physical illness that
we have.”
She says people who have a heart
condition are likely to experience the onset of depression.
Sometimes it’s due to the recognition of one’s own mortality, Fox
said.
Many medications can lead to
depression, too, and people who have suffered a stroke and lose the
ability to care for themselves often fall into depression.
“That’s a rapid decline,” Fox said.
“One day, you’re functioning and the next you’re in a dependent
state.”
Grief because of the loss of a spouse
or loved one may be the most common trigger for depression, Fox
said.
“Sadness is a normal part of loss, but
there’s a point where the inability to move forward is a sign that
the grief is moving into depression,” she said. “It’s not normal to
be a year out and have a shrine and not have touched the
closet.”
The program uses individual and group
sessions for both seniors and their caregivers. Fox notes that the
group sessions can be very helpful to someone who has fallen into a
state of isolation.
“A lot of the power of the group is
that you’re not the only one,” she said. “To be able to be with
others like you and talk is very helpful.”
As the Baby Boomer generation reaches
retirement, the need for Embrace Health is expected to grow
significantly. The Flathead, Fox notes, is also an emerging
retirement area.
“This corner of Montana is drawing a
lot of aging people,” she said. “Adults with kids have moved here,
so they’re moving their elder parents here, too. We’re a senior
magnet right now.”
In 2011, the first members of the Baby
Boom Generation reached age 65, according to the U.S. Census
Bureau. The boomers account for about 25 percent of the total
population.
Embrace Health is the only structured
out-patient program of its kind in Flathead and Lincoln counties.
Anyone who is suffering from symptoms of depression, including
trouble sleeping, loss of energy and motivation or excessive anger,
anxiety or guilt, are encouraged to visit the Embrace Health
office.
The program accepts Medicare and other
private insurance plans. For more information, call 862-4763.