The age was 81 years, but generally in good physical condition. His body still seems to fit the size of his age. Although during the execution should be guided more balanced in general the physical shows that the grandfather was still fresh in his mind in the eight.
Physical examination was declared and the heart and lungs are still within normal limits. Although it has been over 20 years using antihypertensive drugs, but this should not affect the functioning of the heart and blood vessels at this time. Unfortunately not the case with emotional mental disorders. In addition to decreased feelings of mood and lack of passion for life, the patient also experienced memory loss evident.
Memory loss has actually been a long time, about 5 years, but increasingly aggravated since the patient was left by his beloved wife. Conditions worsen the cognitive impairment of depression which he suffered. Already in the last two years, the patient has become one of my elderly patients are hospitalized. Treatment with antidepressants and dementia given to patients because of the pain condition at that time.
Patients with children living patients reported that the patient was initially taken to a psychiatrist because of the condition of real depression after losing his wife, who died, but later cognitive impairment has been intensified and perceived need immediate treatment. Depressive symptoms present, the conditions are much improved and cognitive decline in the real world has not looked back.
Depression in the elderly
Depression tends to increase as we age. The elderly are a vulnerable group of people who suffer from depression throughout his life. Approximately 1-5% of depressive disorders in the elderly population experience. This figure rose to 13.5% in the elderly who have medical problems and need for care in hospitals. The condition of depression in elderly patients associated with great physical condition.
Older people who have common medical conditions associated with degenerative diseases (hypertension, diabetes, arthritis) are more prone to depression than others. In the syndrome of “empty nest more” or empty nest syndrome (often written in a linguistic approach and sound of the word syndrome became the emptiness of loneliness or Down syndrome) due to the loss of a child or that usually accompany the family. It usually occurs in older children abandoned or separated from her marriage to date.
Depressive disorders in the elderly can occur with a variety of symptoms, the most widely reported is the presence of physical symptoms. Insomnia or sleep disorders, muscle and joint pain, anxiety and lack of appetite are symptoms of depression that generally occurs in the elderly. These physical symptoms would be difficult to distinguish the physical symptoms of common medical conditions because they are often similar, and is one of mutual influence.
For this reason, physicians who treat elderly patients should understand the concept of a psychosomatic and biopsychosocial health when it comes to elderly patients with symptoms of common psychiatric disorders in the elderly such as depression can manifest as physical complaints.
That senile diseases
Cognitive impairment such as memory decline in older people is often regarded as a matter of course. While cognitive impairment, including memory is a mental disorder most commonly known, but not detected and treated properly in older patients. Although taken for granted, actually not all older adults experience less cognitive decline is considered to have dementia or a dementia disease.
Most are still there in the beginning of the decline is called mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild cognitive impairment. Disease or senile dementia itself in the case of a severe cognitive decline, and not just a function to remember, but others thought that the power function kesuliltan deciding something, do something inorder, or the presence of emotional and behavioral disorders associated with dementia diseases.
Most elderly patients with dementia illness came to a psychiatrist because of symptoms of behavioral and emotional problems. They may have hallucinations and thought disorder, suspicious or fearful about, if there are people who want to hurt him. Often, they say that there are people or friends who have died and come to visit patients. During the examination of mental status in the clinic in general, they often repeat-ngulang history or even complete silence.Patients who experience severe dementia life is very dependent on others and tends to be “adult babies”.
Improve the quality of life of older people
In keeping with the theme of World Health Day April 7 to mental Indonesia captured the theme is “Towards a healthy old, independent and productive” so much that we can prepare now. There are some of us who are the next 20-40 years are in the category of preparing for the elderly and it needs to be prepared from now.
In addition to maintaining physical and mental preparation and economic productivity, and this may have to think. We hope we are not to be retired seniors who become dependent on our children later in culture, although it is common in Indonesia. Hopefully we can all prepare ourselves from now.