Mood Decline in Seniors: The stereotypical grumpy old man is not something that every older person conforms to, but it is not uncommon to see a cheery old relative slowly lose his/her good-natured smile over the years. It is easy to blame it all on old age and ignore the underlying reasons behind their declining happiness, although that does nothing to resolve or at least manage the aging relative’s mental wellbeing.
In this post, we are going to briefly go over the most common reasons why older people sometimes tend to react in the way that they do.
Loneliness
There is no age group among humans that will not exhibit signs of depression, anxiety, and other behavioral abnormalities if they are forced to live in complete isolation. Unfortunately, that is precisely what happens to a lot of us when we get older. Consider the following factors first.
- Most of them no longer have any of their children living with them.
- Some do not have grandchildren to play with, while others do not get to see them often.
- Even children are not always attentive to their old parents.
- Aging and the loss of close friends are as inevitable as death itself.
- Eventually, one of the partners will pass away, leaving them alone at the worst possible time.
- Surviving friends and relatives probably live too far away for them to be considered as their regular companions.
- Normal, age-related fatigue and stiffness make it increasingly harder to move around and do chores at home with each passing year.
As we can see here, elders do not need to be afflicted with debilitating arthritis or be in advanced stages of Alzheimer’s to behave oddly. The inescapable loneliness alone can wreak havoc on their mental wellbeing and psychological balance. If you can relate to any of that, just search for a senior community near me from any smartphone or computer. There are other, much happier options, so you do not necessarily need to live the rest of your life in social isolation. If you are someone who takes care of a depressed senior, do the same search, but add the desired locality for more accurate results.
Diseases that Affect the Mind
If the mood swings are also accompanied by other symptoms such as amnesia, confusion, drastic personality changes, significant changes in habit, and exceptional weight loss, that is a red flag. An immediate consultation with a neurologist is highly advisable because those symptoms are generally associated with multiple diseases that directly affect the brain. Alzheimer’s disease is the most cause among seniors, but it’s not the only one by far. Do not assume anything and seek a medical consultation as soon as possible.
Diseases that Affect the Body
The list of diseases that can be correlated with age are far too long to be mentioned here. It would be easier and more accurate to state that as we go past the age of 50, a gradual decline in health is mostly inevitable. Not that every senior suffers from multiple conditions but staying cheery can be extremely challenging when you are suffering from hypertension, arthritis, prostatitis, diabetes, and heart disease at the same time! On top of that, each medication taken to counter the illnesses can have its own set of side effects on the patient’s mood as well.
Take some time to talk to your elders and just let them chat to their heart’s content. Visit them more often and bring a few useful gifts with you each time. Sometimes, seniors need to be reminded about the fact that there are people who care about them in the world.
