HEALTH UNIT I

Health Analysis
and Mental Health
(Aging and Dying)

Introduction

Health is the ge
ne r a l
condition of ap
erson's
mind and body,
usually
meaning to be f
r ee
fromillness,inj
uryor
pain.

What is Healt
h Analysis?

Health analys
is is the
overall analys
is of an
individual's gen
eral health
conditions com
pared to
standard condi
tions of a
person of the s
ame age.

What is Menta
l Health?

Mental
Health
is
the
psychological st
ate of someone
who is func
tioning at a
satisfactory lev
el of emotional
and behavioral a
djustment.

Mental Hea
lth Problem
s in
Older Adult
s
It is estimate
d that 20%
of people age
55 years or
older experie
nce some type
of mental hea
lth concern.
The most com
mo n
conditions inc
lude anxiety,
severe cogniti
ve
impairment, a
nd mood
disorders (suc
h as
depression or
bipolar
disorder).

Mental health is
sues are
often implicated
as a
factor in cases of
suicide.
Older men ha
ve the
highest suicide
rate of
any age group (
7). Men
aged 85 years
or older
have a suicide
rate of
45.23
per
100,000,
compared to an
overall
rate of 11.01 per
100,000
for all ages (7).

Healthy Ag
ing: Keepin
g
Mentally Fit
as You Age

Today, thoughts
of aging
gracefully have be
en replaced
by
efforts
to
age
successfully. As
we age and
look forward to
longer life
expectancies
than
past
generations, we s
trive to age
with good health.
How do we
do
this?
By
eating
nutritiously. Limit
ing alcohol.
Keeping physically
active.

Staying connected with our

friends and family. Seeking
medical treatment when
necessary. These are the
right steps toward healthy
aging. And with good health,
we can enjoy life and pursue
new dreams and endeavors
as we age.

Good health includes both

physical and mental wellbeing. And the two go hand
in hand. A healthy mind
contributes to a healthy
body. The mind, like the
body, benefits from low
blood pressure, low
cholesterol, nourishing food,
a healthy weight, and
physical activity.

There are many healthy

lifestyle choices we can
make to keep our bodies
healthy and avoid illness
and disability. There are
additional steps we can take
to help preserve healthy
minds.

What chan
ges in me
ntal
abilities ca
n we expe
ct a s
we age? W
hats norm
al?

As we age,
we can exp
e ct
certain ch
anges in
ou r
bodies and
minds. We m
ay
not see and
hear as well
as
we did in ou
r 20s. We m
ay
n ot b e a b l e
to r e m e m b e
r
recent event
s or details
as
well or as qu
ickly as we
did
in our 30s.

Beginning in our 30s, our

brains weight, the network
of nerves, and its blood flow
begin to decrease. Our
brains adapt, however, and
grow new patterns of nerve
endings.

While certain changes in our

mental abilities are
inevitable as we age, much
remains the same. We retain
our intellect. Our ability to
change and be flexible
remains. Old dogs can learn
new tricks. We just might
need a little more time. We
keep our ability to grow
intellectually and
emotionally.

Whats n
ot norma
l as
we get o
lder? Wh
at
might in
dicate an
While somillness?

e forgetful
ness is
normal
in
older
age,
persistent
memory lo
ss is
not. And
because
experience
we
more loss a
s we
age, we
are boun
d to
experience
more sadn
ess.
However,
prolonged
periods o
f sadnes
s or
depression
are not no
rmal
as we age.

Warning Signs

Depressed mood or sadness

lasting longe
r than two
weeks
Unexplained
crying spells
Loss of inter
est or pleas
ure
in the things
and people
that were pr
eviously
enjoyable
Jumpiness o
r tiredness,
lethargy, fat
igue, or loss
of
energy
Irritability, q
uarrelsomen
ess

 Sleep change such as

insomnia (n
ot being ab
le t o
sleep) or sl
eeping mo
re
than usual
Feelings of
worthlessn
ess,
inappropria
te guilt,
hopelessne
ss, helpless
ness
Decreased
ability to th
ink,
concentrat
e, or make
decisions
Repeated t
houghts of
death or su
icide, suicid
e
attempts
Seek help f
rom
am

 Aches and pains,

constipatio
n, or other
physical pr
oblems tha
t
cannot oth
erwise be
explained
Confusion a
nd
disorientat
ion
Memory los
s, loss of
recent, sho
rt-term me
mory
Trouble han
dling finan
ces,
working wi
th numbers
,
paying the
bills
Change in
appearanc
e,
standard o
f dres

What might tri

gger or
contribute to m
ental
illness?

Physical disability
Physical illness
o With diseases of

the heart
and lungs, th
e brain may
not get enou
gh oxygen,
which afects
mental
ability and b
ehavior.
o Diseases of the a
drenal,
thyroid, pituit
ary, or other
glands can a
fect
emotions, pe
rceptions,
memory, a

 sA change in environment

uch as movin
g into a new
home
Loss or illnes
s of a loved
one
A combinatio
n of
medications

On average,
older
adults take m
ore
medications
than others.
Because our
metabolism
slows down
as we age,
drugs can re
main longer
in
an older per
son an

 Drug-alcohol

interaction
s can caus
e
confusion,
mood
changes, s
ymptoms
of
dementia
Alcohol or
drug abus
e
and misus
e
Poor diet

Dental pro
blems can
contribute
to a poor d
iet.
Some olde
r adults m
ay
avoid food
s that are
difcu