Anxiety knows no boundaries. It strikes without warning, impacting individuals from every age and background. Yet, the nature of symptoms and root causes paints a unique story for each of us.
When turning our attention to late-life anxiety, we uncover a surprising truth: it's more prevalent among seniors in Canada than dementia and major depressive disorders.
As of 2021, over 10% of seniors in every province grappled with depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions.
The most effective treatment of anxiety in older adults comes in the wake of uncovering the root cause. Knowing the source of anxiety allows doctors to prescribe management strategies that bear results.
The key to effective treatment for older adults lies in unraveling the root causes, allowing doctors to prescribe strategies that truly work. What's triggering anxiety in Canada's senior population, and how can we safeguard their quality of life? Let’s embark on an in-depth exploration of this pressing issue:
Understanding Anxiety in Seniors
Chronic diseases, body pains, limited income, concerns about family, reduced mobility, loss of vision, and hearing impairment make it difficult for seniors to navigate life as they once did. Often, these factors lead to anxiety in older adults.
Unfortunately, many people hold the mistaken belief that seniors, with all their life experience and wisdom, can't experience anxiety. It's not the first thought that comes to mind, even when they observe symptoms in their loved ones.
This is a myth. Anxiety and various mental health issues are prevalent in older adults. To support your loved ones, it's essential to understand the types of anxiety disorders they might encounter, their symptoms, and their root causes.
Types of Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders are widespread in seniors across the globe. However, many of them don’t visit the doctor, and therefore, these disorders remain largely undiagnosed. Following are some of the most common anxiety disorders found in people aged 65 or older:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): GAD is the most prevalent type of anxiety in seniors. In generalized anxiety disorder, the patient constantly worries about things getting worse or simple situations turning awry. Even in situations where fear is unfounded.
- Phobias: A lot of older adults develop phobias around life-limiting circumstances, such as falling, flying, getting sick, dying, crowded spaces, etc. Many seniors also develop social phobia.
- Panic Disorder: Panic disorder is distinguished from other types of anxiety by panic attacks. The patients feel a sudden bout of fear followed by heart palpitations, sweating, shaking, chest pain, dry mouth, dizziness, shortness of breath, etc.
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): In older adults, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may manifest as constant hand washing due to fear of germs, or repeated checking of locks and appliances, disrupting daily routines. These behaviors, driven by persistent anxieties, can significantly impact their day-to-day lives and quality of life.
- PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder): PTSD in seniors is often triggered by a traumatic event in the past, with symptoms sometimes surfacing months or even years later. These traumatic experiences may be related to violence, abuse, or natural disasters. New disabilities may also reignite past traumas in older adults.
- Acute Stress Disorder: Acute Stress Disorder resembles PTSD but lasts no more than four weeks. It involves recurrent recollection of painful or traumatizing events such as witnessing a friend or loved one's death, even in anticipated circumstances, like a prolonged illness, which can trigger this condition in the elderly, as the experience remains traumatic. If the symptoms continue for more than 4-weeks, the condition is diagnosed as PTSD.
Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders
Different people have different situations or places that trigger their anxiety and that often leads individuals to steer clear of specific situations or people, despite recognizing the irrationality of their feelings.
Moreover, anxiety may induce physical discomfort. Indicators of anxiety issues in older adults include — but not limited to — the following:
- Irrational and excessive worry or fear
- Checking and rechecking for safety
- Avoiding social situations
- Obsessive thoughts
- Insomnia
- Nightmares
- Irrational thoughts
- Forgetfulness
- Irritability
- themselves
- Frequent urination
- Tense muscles
- Cold or sweaty hands
- Dry mouth
- Feelings of panic, fear, or apprehension
- Difficulties with memory and concentration
- Engaging in repetitive behaviors
- Loss of appetite or developing a larger appetite
- Changes in eating patterns
- A strong desire to stay at home and isolate
Risk Factors and Root Causes
There can be a multitude of causes that lead to anxiety in older adults and some of these reasons can be unique to the patients. The most common root causes of anxiety in older adults are:
- Stressful and traumatic life events
- Two or more psychiatric and medical conditions
- Family history
- Influence of alcohol, medications, and caffeine
- Limited physical mobility
- Loss of independence
- Financial insecurity
- Insomnia
- Chronic health conditions
- Side effects of medications
- Misuse/abuse of alcohol or prescription medications
- Childhood trauma
- Dementia
- End-of-life planning
- Grief and loss
Treatment and Management Strategies
Anxiety is a treatable condition, with the first step being the recognition of its symptoms and a visit to a psychiatrist. A proper diagnosis paves the way for effective treatment. Your doctor may employ non-pharmacological treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, yoga, meditation, relaxation techniques, art, dance, and music therapy, social activities and engagement, or alternative therapies.
In more severe cases, they may turn to pharmacological management, including the use of SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors), benzodiazepines (with a discussion of their uses, risks, side effects, and abuse potential), and detoxification methods.
Many individuals also explore holistic management, which involves exercise and a healthy lifestyle, maintaining a balanced social support network, the influence of faith, religion, or spiritual practices, and the role of diet and sleep patterns.
No one method fits all. Your doctor will conduct a thorough examination and counseling sessions before suggesting management strategies
Managing Anxiety and the Use Of Fall Detection Devices for Enhanced Well-being
If you're a senior struggling with anxiety, don't hesitate to share your feelings with a loved one.
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions worldwide, and there are numerous effective methods to manage it. Make sure to visit your doctor, attend regular counseling sessions, and follow your therapist's advice.
If the root cause of your anxiety is the fear of falling, consider seeking assistance from Senior Fall Detection Devices. They can help boost your confidence, provide a sense of safety, and aid in managing this trigger.
Please don't hesitate to contact us at +1 (902) 492-3346 or email us at intouch@nwood.ns.ca. Your safety and comfort are our top priorities, and we're here to support you every step of the way.
