Why Is There a Stigma Around Mental Health in Older Adults?
Surrounded by verdant green on Buffalo Gap Road, Morada Abilene is a wonderful place to seek emotional support for seniors. However, stigma is a significant barrier to many seniors' ability to engage in such offerings, and one that we closely monitor to ensure we provide the best level of care possible.
So, why is there a stigma around mental health, and how do we help seniors overcome it to ensure that they can take the best advantage of Abilene senior care resources?
Below, we discuss the details of mental health awareness when aging, ensuring that the overlap of mental health stigma and older adults does not interfere with attempts to help those who are suffering. Finally, learn about what we do here at Morada Abilene to provide our community with every chance of recovery and emotional health support in Abilene, Texas.
What Is Mental Health Stigma in Aging Seniors?
Stigma is the expression of negativity towards elements of a person's life that they may not be able to control. It is a social mark of disgrace, and to many older generations, mental health falls into that category.
For those with mental health issues, people used to label them with words such as "Dinosaur", "Crazy", or "Dirty". Having heard these terms in their youth, they are then discouraged from admitting distress in their own lives. This fear of judgment, by peers or staff at a senior care community, can lead many to hide their symptoms, even as they worsen.
Here at Morada Abilene, however, we work together with our residents to create a supportive and judgement-free environment. Even before they come forward, if they have issues they need to discuss, our assisted living staff will do all we canto ensure that they do not feel as though we will think worse of them when they do.
Why Is There a Stigma Around Mental Health?
Many of our senior loved ones grew up in eras where mental health was not openly discussed as it is today. Therapy was rarer, and "dealing with it" was much more normal, often with alcohol or other harmful coping mechanisms. During older decades, the threat of a "mental asylum" was still fresh, despite many closing down in the 50s and 60s due to poor conditions.
The experiences seniors have had over the years, such as war and financial hardship, have also shaped senior society's beliefs about showing or complaining about difficulties, or even framing them as weaknesses. Many such people believe that younger people "have it easy" and "should have gone through hardship", thus feeling as though the coping mechanisms younger people use to remain healthy are signs of a weakness they are trying to avoid.
Mixed with this, the loss of identity one often feels after retirement or a significant loss can make this type of vulnerability even scarier. If someone defines themselves by other people, then feels depressed when they are not around, they may worry about confirming this.
Why This Is a Serious Issue
Untreated mental health issues can often get worse quickly. High rates of depression and anxiety in senior individuals are a sign of this.
The ongoing nature of mental health problems can even lead to further physical ailments. The increase of stress hormones in the body, for example, can directly impact someone's physical health, with a breakdown of bones occurring due to an increase in these chemicals in the bloodstream. As such, broken bones or more frequent falls can go hand-in-hand with depressive bouts, acting as both a symptom and a resulting factor that must be dealt with.
It is essential that peers and Morada Abilene's staff engage with people undergoing such suffering to assist them in avoiding isolation or anxiety, helping your loved ones to enjoy a much happier and healthier life.
Other Things Morada Abilene Does for Its Residents
Our community encourages group activities to ensure that people always have a venue where they can discuss their issues, if possible. Examples of these include:
- Fitness classes
- Craft opportunities
- Group outings
- Walks and short hikes
- Trips to local amenities
- Music evenings
- Game nights
Focusing on aging and connection to others is very important. So, we also strive to encourage social engagement whenever possible.
By doing this, we can help foster natural mentorship opportunities for those who join our community and help restore a sense of purpose and belonging for every resident. The trust this leads to can often mean that people feel much more comfortable bringing up their problems, which can help them to discuss hardships, even if only a little at first.
Other opportunities for people to engage with one another and build a sense of community can help them feel more open to talking. Consider scheduling a tour with us to learn more about what these entail. You can also stay up-to-date with our activities and events by visiting our calendar page.
Ensuring Our Staff are Available
The staff at Morada Abilene has training in supporting assisted living and mental wellness, and can connect with our residents to understand when help is required. We aim to reduce stigma by using carefully chosen language and never judging the challenges a person faces.
Staff know how to look out for the warning signs that someone needs help. Then, when they believe there is a larger issue, they can contact the family of a resident or an appropriate contact to ensure a loved one gets the attention they need. During this process, they remain available for further help.
Break the Stigma and Help Your Loved One Thrive
Why is there a stigma around mental health? After a long legacy of pervasive media and old ideas of what mental health looks like, many seniors need further help to get over their legacy of prejudice, even to themselves. Morada Abilene stands alongside your loved ones to help them overcome these thoughts, contributing to mental health awareness in seniors and resident cognitive wellness.
Discover how we restore confidence and emotional well-being in our community by booking a tour today and learn what it means for a loved one to join a community that values them. Learn what genuine support looks like.