Why Is There a Stigma Around Mental Health in Older Adults?
You would imagine that, surrounded by a beautiful Port Orchard copse and shielded by greenery, those staying in Liberty Place Senior Living would have the easiest life. However, many people aged 65 or over, of whom there are almost 58 million in the United States, are the social group with some of the most challenging issues regarding stigma and mental health.
Why is there a stigma around mental health? A long legacy of aging and awareness deficits in culture has led to misunderstandings of the links between mental wellness and aging, triggering significant stigma in senior care.
Read on to learn what we have learned about this issue and how Liberty Place takes it seriously, offering support for emotional health in Port Orchard, WA. Discover the senior support services we put in place to replace fear with assistance and empathy, making us an ally to those in our community.
Why Is There a Stigma Around Mental Health in Seniors?
After World War II, post-war messaging and communities often taught that older individuals pushed through their pain without complaint. Part of this was simply the needs of society, as not everybody could seek out help, while a lack of knowledge of various forms of trauma meant that sadness and depression were often taught to be a "normal" part of aging.
As a result, treatable conditions, such as anxiety, were hidden behind stubbornness, leading to an older generation who do not understand concepts such as emotional openness and its direct link to mental health.
Many of these seniors have also come from a society that views older generations as being "a bother" or "a burden" and have significant concerns about their own impact on their community or family. While it is true that patients with two or more chronic conditions can have a substantial impact on healthcare services (Kaiser Permanente, 2024), it is potentially more accurate to say that they deserve additional support from their community, rather than implying that they are a burden to anyone.
Unfortunately, these areas of disinformation are still problematic, and many younger generations may well also hold similar stigmas, due to films and headlines that use harmful words linking mental illness with danger. Therefore, when people encounter problems, they tend to withdraw rather than face potential judgment from others.
At the same time, the lack of good coverage of senior mental health support systems means that help for these demographics isn't normalized, and they are unlikely to trust professionals who do not aim their services at them.
How This Stigma Impacts Mental and Physical Health
It is essential to understand that seeing repeated stories that blame violence on "mentally unwell" or "unstable" individuals can lead to strong beliefs about those who undergo mental health treatment. News reports those who harm others as "psycho", sitcoms joke about memory lapses, and dementia in old age is often not given the serious response it deserves.
Unfortunately, all of this causes seniors to pull back from friends and family, and also for these same people to withdraw their support from their older relatives who may need it instead. This response then leads to loneliness as seniors lose their support network, potentially causing further problems due to the link between loneliness and dementia (NIH, 2024).
Instead, support networks and other groups need to frame mental health as something to be responded to positively, with it described in the same light as other forms of illness. Framing it as something that a community can respond to, as Liberty Place attempts to, can instead foster attitudes of hope and healing, bringing people together to face a common challenge.
Promoting Mental Wellness in Aging in Port Orchard
Liberty Place Senior Living offers a range of services to support individuals navigating challenging periods in their lives. Our residents receive the support they need, whether due to physical issues or mental health and wellness concerns.
We encourage those with us to create their own schedules, describing what they would like to do during the week, which helps them choose activities that will ensure a positive outcome. Through doing this, we help those in our care enrich their own lives, boosting:
- Stimulation
- Spirituality
- Motivation
- Connection
- Socialization
Our staff can be on-site both day and night to monitor seniors, and will check in to ensure that residents meet the goals outlined in their schedules. Those who do not will receive attention, with our staff strained to look out for signs of mood issues or distress. When we find them, we will make a note of it, intervening where necessary and informing family members of the problem so that they can get involved.
The goal is to create and foster natural connections, allowing residents to enjoy their senior years. While we do not offer direct therapy, we can support a consistent care plan for residents by incorporating it into their schedule to make it a natural part of their week, ensuring they stay up-to-date on their mental health growth.
Combining a directed effort to ensure mental wellness with daily check-ins ensures that people have a consistent opportunity to improveand do not let preconceptions about stigma prevent them from finding help.
Liberty Place Awareness Campaigns
In addition to direct help, we also communicate with our residents about the dangers of potential stigma and how aging and mental health issues are often linked. We ensure that we foster a culture of acceptance of personal challenges, helping residents engage with one another to support each other and providing them with opportunities to express themselves in a healthy and supportive manner.
Through this, both our staff and the residents' peers can put up a united front against mental illness.
Start the Conversation With Your Loved One Today
Why is there a stigma around mental health? There is a long legacy of such challenging attitudes, but they fade the fastest when both families and peers can speak openly about their emotions, accepting the issues others face.
Here at Liberty Place Senior Living, we strive to create a supportive community with staff available around the clock. If you would like to learn more about what that entails, please get in touch. We would be delighted to discuss our efforts with you and demonstrate why our community is an excellent fit for you or a loved one in the future.