Mental Health in Senior Citizens

When we talk about the overall well being of senior citizens, we often tend to focus on the physical aspects and overlook their mental health. As people age, their life undergoes a rapid series of changes which occur almost simultaneously, giving them little to no time to actually cope with them. This sudden disruption of a certain pattern and routine that they had been following for such a long period in their life leaves them confused and disoriented. While we talk about the physical hardships and medical conditions that occur, have we ever paused to think about the effect old age has on their mental health?

As individuals transition into their senior years, they encounter a multitude of changes that shape their lives in profound ways. These changes encompass various aspects of life, including health, relationships, lifestyle, and societal roles. Their kids move out to pursue higher education, their professional life comes to an end and their support system to face any unexpected situation weakens.

A major contributing factor to poor mental health in senior citizens is retirement. While we all seem to get excited by the thought of not having to work for the rest of our lives, retirement in actuality often poses a plethora of challenges. For many people their career is the key aspect of their identity and leaving it behind fosters a feeling of emptiness, loss of self esteem and sense of aimlessness. It may also bring the burden of financial losses for those individuals who have not adequately prepared for this stage of life. 

The onset of old age brings with itself a foreign sense of alienation and loneliness. Most of the time, we as kids and young adults get so engrossed in our academic, professional and social lives that we forget to make time for our grandparents. We cancel on plans and miss phone calls but what about them? For them the ten minute phone call is the highlight of the day and the weekly meeting makes them unbelievably happy. 

Additionally with their declining physical health and diseases, they need someone to be with them through it all. Going through such terrible medical issues itself is so taxing, imagine doing it all alone. It is said that a very important aspect of making a medical recovery is the willingness of the individual to recover. Many people in their old age lose this very will because they have no reason and nobody to live for. In such cases it is very necessary to make it known that they are indeed loved and wanted.  

There are so many small things that we can do to make sure that our grandparents do not feel neglected. They range from basic stuff such as daily phone calls and life updates to things like engaging in various activities like watching a movie with them or teaching them how to use their cellphones and other technologies. Moreover, volunteering at old age homes is a wonderful way to spend your free time to light up someone else’s life. 

After working so tirelessly their entire life to ensure a comfortable life and bright future for their family, senior citizens deserve to have a relaxed and dignified retirement filled with all the happiness that they sacrificed throughout their life. Their mental health is just as important as their physical health and we, as their close family, should take it upon us to ensure that they receive as much love as they give. 

-Aanya Bhaduri and Urvi Patel