Sometimes, it is mistakenly assumed that aging and depression go hand-in-hand.  Well, they do not have to.  Depression does not need to be part of the life-cycle of growing older; but, sadly, it many elderly do suffer from depression.  The question becomes, why does aging and depression sometimes go together?  As it turns out, there are many answers to this question:

Anxiety is an all too common occurrence in the lives of the elderly.  Yet, it is often not clearly understood among health professionals and family members why an elderly individual might be especially prone to anxiety.  And, anxiety disorders in the elderly often reveal themselves through physical problems and complaints, thereby, masking the underlying emotional distress.

It’s a perplexing situation, and one that researchers have been trying to solve for many years. People suffering from mental illness are more susceptible to physical illnesses and also have a higher mortality rate.  Studies conduct with individuals suffering from schizophrenia, for example, have shown that not only do they have a shorter lifespan compared to those without schizophrenia, but also that they have more health problems.  However, the negative link between mental illness and physical health is not reserved only to schizophrenia.  This same association has been found in anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorders, and dementia.

The unrelenting desire for control and independence.  These are fundamental aspects of the human condition.  Happiness and satisfaction are often connected to the level of control and independence we feel in our lives.  However, for many who are unable to leave the house or are unable to even get out of bed, a condition commonly referred to as being “bedfast,” the loss of control and independence can fuel a downward spiral in psychological functioning.

Caring for a chronically ill family member or loved one is a tough, demanding, often thankless job.  Most caregivers gladly make the sacrifices to provide compassionate care for their family members and loved ones.  Yet, it is well known that caregivers can and do burnout, both physically and mentally.

For years, doctors have advised their patients to avoid stress because it affects the body in myriad of unhealthy ways. Stress is linked to many health problems including heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and even diabetes.  However, what some people may not know is that chronic stress can take a toll on our appearance – contributing to premature aging and death.

It is a sad reality that very few doctors and therapists make house calls nowadays.  To access high quality behavioral healthcare, it is necessary to check credentials, talk to the secretary, and set up an appointment at the provider’s community-based clinic.  For many clients, though, community-based behavioral healthcare is not possible due to illness or disability that keeps them from leaving their homes.  For other clients, they would prefer to have a choice and would like the “clinic to come to them.”  They want to access high quality behavioral healthcare in the convenience, comfort, privacy, and security of their own homes.

It has been estimated by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) that untreated mental illness may well cost a whopping 500 billion dollars in the United States when all the direct and indirect costs are taken into account.  But, it is the personal and societal costs of untreated mental illness that, perhaps, is the most profound aspect of untreated mental illness.

Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are interrelated, and to know one, we need to understand the other.

Dementia is a syndrome where we typically observe loss of memory, inability to reason and to use logic, and some loss of verbal ability. Alzheimer’s is a disease of the brain, a slow impairment due to which an individual suffers from memory loss and often forgets recent events and memories.

Childhood psychological disorders are broadly categorized into anxiety disorders, attachment disorders, pervasive developmental disorders, disruptive behavior disorders, and mood disorders.  Many of these disorders have strong genetic components, just like Autistic Disorder and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.  These genetically-linked disorders tend to be identified early in the life of a child.