Elderly Care Observances: National Anxiety and Depression Awareness Week

Posted: 4/29/2016 10:05 AM by Interim HealthCare
May 1 through 7 is National Anxiety and Depression Awareness Week. During this week, set aside some time to learn more about these mental health concerns and how they could be impacting your elderly care journey with your aging parent. By teaming up with your loved one and the rest of your care network to understand these risks and focus on managing them you can improve your care efforts, and your parent's quality of life.
 
Some things that you should know about anxiety and depression include:
• Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern throughout the United States
• 18 percent of the population suffers from some form of anxiety disorder. This includes 40 million adults
• Anxiety disorders are treatable, yet only about 30 percent of those who suffer from them are actually receiving proper treatment
• Those with anxiety disorders are 3 to 5 times more likely to require a trip to the doctor at any given time
• Those with anxiety disorders are 6 times more likely to require in-hospital treatment for psychiatric disorders than those who do not have such concerns
• Nearly 50 percent of those with diagnosed depression also have some form of anxiety disorder
• More than 3 percent of the population has generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD
• Women have twice the risk of developing an anxiety disorder than men
• Nearly 3 percent of the population has panic disorder
• Panic disorder occurs very frequently with major depression
• Nearly 7 percent of the population has social anxiety disorder
• Nearly 40 percent of those with social anxiety disorder suffer the symptoms for 10 years or more prior to reaching out for proper treatment
• Nearly 9 percent of the population suffers from specific phobias that make a significant impact on their lives
• 1 percent of the population suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder
• 3 and half percent of the population suffers from posttraumatic stress disorder
• Nearly 7 percent of the total population suffers from major depressive disorder
• 1 and a half percent of the total population suffers from persistent depressive disorder, or PDD
 
It is very important that you pay close attention to your parent's health and wellbeing throughout the course of your elderly care journey with them. The signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression can be subtle and if you are not closely engaged with your parent's condition, you may overlook them. If you are concerned that they are suffering from anxiety or depression, make sure that you bring your concerns to the attention of their doctor as soon as possible. The sooner that your parent receives a diagnosis, the sooner that they can work with their doctor to develop a course of management and treatment that works for them.

Just as important as identifying possible mental health concerns in your aging loved one is being there for them to help them cope with these issues. Create an environment of support and care that includes you, their elderly health care services provider, their medical provider, friends, family, and other supportive people who can all work together to help your parent live the highest quality of life possible.

If you have an aging loved one in need of elder care contact Interim HealthCare today.