Elder Care Canada - Mental Health

Chapter 3

Elder Care Canada - Mental Health (or Illness)

Definition:

Mental illnesses are characterized by alterations in thinking; mood or behavior (or some combination thereof) associated with significant distress and impaired functioning over an extended period of time.

The Facts:

Chances of having a mental illness in your lifetime in Canada: One in five.
At any given time, percentage of Canadians who have a mental illness: 10.4%

Source: Kirby, M. & Keon, W. (2004). Report 1, Mental health, mental illness and addiction: Overview of policies and programs in Canada (Chapter 5). Interim report of the Standing Senate Committee onSocial Affairs, Science and Technology

Percentage of Canadians who experience a major depression in their lifetime: 8%
Percentage of Canadians who will experience bi-polar disorder in their lifetime: 1%
Percentage of Canadians who will experience schizophrenia in their lifetime: 1%
Percentage of Canadians who will experience an anxiety disorder in their lifetime: 12%
Group with the highest rate of hospitalization for anxiety disorders: People 65 and over

Source: Report on mental illness in Canada (2002). Click Here

The cost of supporting someone with serious mental illness to live in the community: $34,418 per year (all costs)
The cost of keeping someone with serious mental illness in the hospital: $170,820 per year.

Source: Fact Sheet: Mental health in numbers. Click Here

The bad news - Psychological distress is strongly associated with death. Of those seniors reporting high levels of psychological distress in 1994/95, about 62% of men and 44% of women had died eight years later. This compares with 37% of men and 25% of women at lower levels of distress.

The good news - according to a survey done in 2005, 95% of seniors considered their mental health to be good, very good or excellent, an increase of 1.5 percentage points over 2002 survey.

Discussion:

Mental health is as important as physical health. In fact, the two are intertwined. Our mental health directly affects our physical health and vice versa. People with physical health problems often experience anxiety or depression that affects their recovery.

Likewise, mental health factors can increase the risk of developing physical problems such as:

diabetes
heart disease
weight gain or loss
gastrointestinal problems
reductions in immune system efficiency
blood biochemical imbalances

What Are The Secrets To Maintaining Mental Health?

Stay connected to people and the world around you
Keep your mind and body active
Know and use recourses available in your community
Contribute to your community - We need to be needed
Lean a new skill · Use technology to enhance your life.

Depression - There are many unanswered questions about seniors and depression - exactly how many seniors experience it, precisely what causes it, how it affects physical health, etc. Seniors are more likely to be depressed if they are:

Socially isolated
In poor health or have a physical disability
Of low socio-economic status
Experiencing stressful life events
Prescription drug users (sedatives, tranquillizers) over a long period
Sensory deficient
Are genetically vulnerable

The good news is that, once diagnosed, depression is treatable, no matter what your age. To learn how to deal with depression, Click Here.

Bearvement - The loss of a loved one is always a difficult event in life and the loss of a life-long union is one of the most difficult. The secret to a healthy mental outcome is to acknowledge that death is inevitable.

End of Life Care - End-of-life care involves not only professional health care providers, but also family and other volunteer caregivers. Health Canada had a National Action Planning Workshop on this topic and the full text of that workshop can be found by Clicking Here.
Funeral Arrangements - This can be a very stressful time in life ... a loved one has died and now arrangements have to be made. Full details on arrangements such as the following Clicking Here:
- How do I choose a Funeral Home?
- Contacting the Funeral Home
- The Funeral itself - A Celebration of Life
- How to preplan a Funeral
Wills and Living Wills - Your "will" (ie your last will and testament) deals with matters of property while your "living will" deals with your health and personal care. A "living will" is actually not a legal term in Canada! CBC news has done an extensive FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) about Living Wills and how they are treated across Canada. That report can be read in it's entirety by Clicking Here. To find out why you should have a Will (it determines who controls your estate after your death) and to complete a FREE & LEGAL Will online ... Click Here.

Alzheimer's and Dementia:

Dementia is a syndrome consisting of a number of symptoms that include loss of memory, judgment and reasoning, and changes in mood, behavior and communication abilities.

Currently, over 350,000 Canadians have dementia. This number is expected to grow to over 750,000 people by the year 2031. Twice as many women have it as men, the reason for which is not yet known. Alzheimer Disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting for well over half of the cases.

Alzheimer Disease and related dementias affect 1 in 13 Canadians over 65. Alzheimer Disease alone affects 1 in 20 Canadians over 65. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive disease of the brain that is characterized by impairment of memory and a disturbance in at least one other thinking function (for example, language or perception of reality). Alzheimer's disease is not a normal part of aging and is not something that inevitably happens in later life.

Who develops Alzheimer's Disease?

The main risk factor for AD is increased age. As the population ages, the frequency of AD continues to increase. 10 % of people over age 65 and 50 % of those over 85 have AD. Canadians spend an estimated $5.5 billion a year on persons with Alzheimer Disease and related dementias.

An estimated 364,000 Canadians or 1 in 13 over the age of 65 currently have Alzheimer Disease or a related dementia. By the year 2031, it is estimated that over 3/4 million Canadians will have Alzheimer Disease or a related dementia. This figure does not include the countless family members who must cope with the effects of the disease. Early in this century, baby boomers will move into the age of highest risk for Alzheimer Disease.

Ten Warning Signs of Alzheimer's Disease (Alzheimer's Society of Canada). The following is a list of warning signs that include common symptoms of AD. Individuals who exhibit several of these symptoms should see a physician for a complete evaluation. To help you know what warning signs to look for, the Alzheimer Society has developed the following list:

Memory loss that affects day-to-day function It's normal to occasionally forget appointments, colleagues' names or a friend's phone number and remember them later. A person with Alzheimer's disease may forget things more often and not remember them later, especially things that have happened more recently.
Difficulty performing familiar tasks Busy people can be so distracted from time to time that they may leave the carrots on the stove and only remember to serve them at the end of a meal. A person with Alzheimer's disease may have trouble with tasks that have been familiar to them all their lives, such as preparing a meal.
Problems with language Everyone has trouble finding the right word sometimes, but a person with Alzheimer's disease may forget simple words or substitute words, making her sentences difficult to understand.
Disorientation of time and place It's normal to forget the day of the week or your destination -- for a moment. But a person with Alzheimer's disease can become lost on their own street, not knowing how they got there or how to get home.
Poor or decreased judgment People may sometimes put off going to a doctor if they have an infection, but eventually seek medical attention. A person with Alzheimer's disease may have decreased judgment, for example not recognizing a medical problem that needs attention or wearing heavy clothing on a hot day.
Problems with abstract thinking From time to time, people may have difficulty with tasks that require abstract thinking, such as balancing a cheque book. Someone with Alzheimer's disease may have significant difficulties with such tasks, for example not recognizing what the numbers in the cheque book mean.
Misplacing things Anyone can temporarily misplace a wallet or keys. A person with Alzheimer's disease may put things in inappropriate places: an iron in the freezer or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl.
Changes in mood and behaviour Everyone becomes sad or moody from time to time. Someone with Alzheimer's disease can exhibit varied mood swings -- from calm to tears to anger -- for no apparent reason.
Changes in personality People's personalities can change somewhat with age. But a person with Alzheimer's disease can become confused, suspicious or withdrawn. Changes may also include apathy, fearfulness or acting out of character.
Loss of initiative It's normal to tire of housework, business activities or social obligations, but most people regain their initiative. A person with Alzheimer's disease may become very passive, and require cues and prompting to become involved

Resources:

Canadian Coalition for Seniors' Mental Health - Click Here

Palliative and End-of-Life Care Resources - Click here

National office Alzheimer Society of Canada - Click Here Tel: (416)488-8772 - Toll-free: 1-800-616-8816

Provincial, regional and local Alzheimer Society offices. Click on the province below:

Funeral Homes Across Canada. Click on the Province below: