Aging and neurodegenerative disorders

Mental health problems are as common in elderly as other medical illness. These have negative impact on their life since their independence and functional abilities get affected.

Aging makes older people susceptible to developing neurodegenerative disorders like dementia, Parkinson and depression. There can be subtle signs like changes in behavior and personality during early phase but if not watched for can be missed. By early identification there is possibility to delay progression by adapting some preventive and precautionary measures.

As age advances elderly people tend to experience forgetfulness. Mild symptoms can be normal part of aging but if associated with functional decline it indicates onset of dementia syndrome e.g. Alzheimer's disease. Early diagnosis and few medications can help improve the functional deficit and thus the quality of life.

Some people start facing difficulty in making decisions, they can appear confused, this raises possibility of lesions in the brain, stroke or seizures. Even simple dehydration can precipitate confusion. Hence the symptom should not be ignored.

Some people notice slowness in movements in routine activities. This can be suggestive of Parkinson disease. Early treatment can delay and progression. With symptom control we can have improvement in activity and ambulation thus provide better quality of life.

Stress and anxiety are commonly seen in elderly which can lead to mood and behavior changes. Chronic stress can develop into depression. Emotional problems can progress to anxiety disorders.

Substance abuse is not uncommon in this age group. Should be enquired and managed accordingly.

Taking into consideration all these disorders it is imperative that mental health assessment should be part of regular health checkups in older adults. It has to be done proactively to know the exact cause. Future care needs for the individual can be planned for better functional outcome. Some neurodegenerative disorders cannot be completely cured. Pharmacological and psychological intervention help controlling the symptoms and slowing the progression. It is therefore important to identify these in early stages and timely intervene.

By proactively looking into the problem and providing psychosocial support, the family and caregiver burden can be reduced. Since their involvement is crucial in management of such chronic diseases.

Physical health is connected to psychological health which is related to socioeconomic factors in the family and community. Creating the environment of wellbeing for elderly wherein they can be understood is need of the hour.