Mary`s Center

Mental health issues within the older adult community are prevalent in people 65 years and older. Mary’s Center is working to help deal with these challenges and working towards building a better foundation for improving older adults’ mental health.

About 20 to 25% of older adults have mental health issues and of those people, not even 40% receive treatment. About 80% of older adults have one chronic illness and, 50% have two or more chronic illnesses. Two of the most common mental health issues that older adults are facing are depression and anxiety. Depression or anxiety can impact not only mental health but also physical functioning and physical health which makes older adults less likely to exercise or pay attention to healthy eating, taking medications, or developing healthy lifestyle habits.

Facts About Depression:

There is such a wide range of older adults who experience depression. When looking at statistics about 5% of older adults in the community experience depression; 13.5% of those need home health care and up to 15% with subclinical symptoms that can impact functioning. It is very tough for an older adult to lose a loved one, become isolated, lose their independence, or need more extensive care which increases the risk of developing depression. About 50% of them develop depression after one of these significant life events. Depression may cause physical and cognitive symptoms to occur within a person. They may have difficulty concentrating, challenges with sleep which impacts their memory, and lack of engagement in events which can lead to further mental decline.

As the number of health issues increases within an older adult, the prevalence of depression may increase as well. For example, Parkinson’s is a disease that an older adult may develop associated with depression. Late-life depression is also very prevalent in older adults and can be associated with psychomotor retardation, cognitive impairment, and even a greater likelihood of developing dementia. There is an increased risk of stroke, heart attack, coronary heart disease, and various forms of cancer.

Facts About Anxiety:

Along with depression, anxiety is also very prevalent in older adults. About 8% of older adults experience anxiety. Symptoms that they experience can be mental or physical and attributed to side effects of medication being taken which can impact the person’s quality of life. Physical symptoms could look like stomach aches, headaches, and pain within the body. Mental symptoms could be lack of sleep, trouble concentrating and focusing, and depressive thoughts. Late-life general anxiety disorder is also associated with higher suicide risk.

The Importance of Treatment and Resources:

It is important to get older adults’ treatment early and to use the resources that Mary’s Center provides to help deal with these challenges and improve their mental health. Mary’s Center has Hattie Holmes Senior Wellness Center and Bernice Fonteneau Senior Wellness Center. Both of these centers provide different activities and mental health programs, sessions, and groups. Over 50% of older adults do not use mental health services which is why there needs to be a big push and change for these older adults to get treatment. It is crucial for these older adults to engage in activities, learn more about mental health, exercise, and care about their overall well-being.

There are many different options that Mary’s Center offers to help:

Drop-In Individual Therapy
Individual Therapy Sessions
Mental Wellness Groups
- The Mindful Monday (Hattie Holmes Senior Wellness Center)/Mind Over Mood (Bernice Fonteneau Senior Wellness Center) groups help participants feel more empowered about their mental health. In these groups, they talk about mental wellness topics applicable to older adults and discuss personal implications and thoughts.
- The Mental Well-Being (Hattie Holmes)/Mental Health Matters (Bernice Fonteneau) groups are mental wellness psychoeducational groups with presentations on mental health issues and coping strategies.
Handouts on how to keep the brain healthy:
- How to manage stress, prioritize sleep, physical activity, nutrition, cognitive reserve, and lifestyle factors (ex: social media use, gum disease)
Activities to help cognitive and brain function:
- Using a computer, playing games, physical activity, reading books, engaging in crafts, knitting, woodworking, and other types of handiwork

Research about Cognitive Reserve:

The part of the brain which is known as the cognitive reserve has been given a lot of attention and research in the past years, specifically in older adults. The cognitive reserve is the brain’s ability to adapt to age- or disease-related changes by drawing on existing neuronal networks or generating new neuronal connections where old ones may fail. It has to do with brain networks that are set up by factors like brain size, neuron count, natural intelligence, life experience, education, and occupation. The greater your reserve, the more leeway your brain has when asked to perform certain tasks, and something that becomes more important as time goes by. Studies have shown having an active social and intellectual life throughout adulthood, may lead to a decreased risk of cognitive impairment in later years.

Ordinary yet intellectually stimulating activities, like reading, playing music, and making crafts and art, lead to a 30 to 50% decrease in the chances of developing mild cognitive impairment. Physical exercise also provides a cognitive workout which is beneficial to the brain and overall health. Studies have also found that reading, rather than watching tv, has a positive impact on cognitive health. Other studies have mentioned taking courses, learning new languages, traveling, and going to the theater, play a significant role as well. It is so important to choose activities that absorb your mind, draw you in and engage your thought processes. This helps to keep the physical and mental aspects of the brain and body intact and fully functioning even as an older adult.

Conclusion: How Mary’s Center Can Help

Mary’s Center can provide so many fantastic options for older adults. Between the Hattie Holmes Senior Wellness Center and Bernice Fonteneau Senior Wellness Center, there are many options like therapy, mental health groups, handouts given, and activities to help keep the brain healthy. Mary’s Center is hoping to decrease the percentage of mental health problems within the older adult population by providing so many different options and services. Mary’s Center is working to help deal with these challenges and working towards building a better foundation for improving older adults’ mental health.