Week 3b: Psychological aging and mental health

Question 1

Cognition

Answer 1

Attention
Memory
Problem-solving

Question 2

Self and personality

Answer 2

Moods and emotions
Who you are
What you value
Temperament
Character

Question 3

Social relationships

Answer 3

How you relate to others, social support groups and networks

Question 4

Mental health

Answer 4

A state of well-being

Question 5

Neurotransmitters related to healthy aging

Answer 5

Dopamine
Serotonin
Norepinephrine

**decline with aging

Question 6

Dopamine

Answer 6

Reward-motivation system
Motor control
Decision making and teaching
Motivation
Pleasure

Question 7

Serotonin

Answer 7

Happy
Mood
Memory
Sleep
Cognition

Question 8

Norepinephrine

Answer 8

Regulates blood pressure
Memory formation and retrieval
Stress and sleep regulation

Question 9

Mental illness

Answer 9

Characterized by alterations in thinking, mood or behaviour, associated with distress and impaired functioning

**diagnosed with this

Question 10

What is the most common mental health condition among older adults?

Answer 10

Depression

Question 11

Common mental health disorders in older adults

Answer 11

Depression
Suicide
Anxiety disorders
Dementia
Loneliness and isolation
Delusion
Delirium
Paraphrenia
Concurrent disorders (disorders that work together against eachother)

Question 12

What effects mental health?

Answer 12

Physical factors
Emotional
Spiritual
Social

Question 13

Late onset depression

Answer 13

Cognitive component
Memory impairment
Decreased blood flows or TIAs (stroke)
Symptoms similar to dementia so usually get diagnosed with dementia

Question 14

Symptoms of depression

Answer 14

• Memory problems
• Confusion
• Social withdrawal
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Vague complaints of pain
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Anxious
• Delusions
• Hallucinations

Question 15

Diagnostic criteria for depression

Answer 15

During a 2-week period or more and individual has 4 or more of these symptoms including depressed mood or loss of interest/pleasure
- Weight loss or gain
- Insomnia or hypersomnia
- Fatigue
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Diminished ability to think
- Recurrent thoughts of death

Question 16

SIGECAPS

Answer 16

Mneumonic for the symptoms you should be looking for if you are a caregiver/family member to diagnose depression

Question 17

What does SIGECAPS stand for?

Answer 17

S: sleep disturbance
I: loss of interest
G: inappropriate/excessive guilt
E: decreased energy and increased fatigue
C: diminished ability to concentrate
A: appetite change
P: psychomotor agitation
S: suicidal ideation

Question 18

Impact of depression

Answer 18

More doctor/ER visits
Increased meds
Higher outpatient charges
Longer hospital stays
Increased readmission rates
Highest risk for suicide

Question 19

Why are mental illnesses missed?

Answer 19

In older adults depression signs and symptoms differ from younger people
Older adults are less likely to self-identify problems
Mental illnesses can accompany or stem from physical problems
Depression can be an early sign of dementia
Environmental, social and cultural factors influence symptoms

Question 20

Mental health in Canada

Answer 20

1. Lack of adequate mental health services and community supports
2. Gaps in service outweigh the opportunities for access
3. Increased need for focus on primary care, dementia patients and those with serious mental illnesses

Question 21

Five key factors that effect mental health of older adults

Answer 21

1. Participation in meaningful activities
2. Relationships
3. Poverty
4. Physical health
5. Discrimination

Question 22

Prevalence of mental health problems in adults age 65

Answer 22

20-30%