Mental Health for Older Adults: Implications of Electroconvulsive Therapy

Running head: MENTAL HEALTH FOR OLDER ADULTS
MENTAL HEALTH FOR OLDER ADULTS
Name of the University
Author Note

MENTAL HEALTH FOR OLDER ADULTS
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Discussion..................................................................................................................................2
Epidemiological implications.................................................................................................4
Physiological implications of ECT in geriatric patients........................................................5
Psychological implications of ECT........................................................................................6
Socio-political effect..............................................................................................................7
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................8
References..................................................................................................................................9

MENTAL HEALTH FOR OLDER ADULTS
Introduction
According to the World health organization, about 15 % of the aged population
suffers from mental disorders with depression and dementia accounting for most of the co
morbidities in older adults (Anderson et al., 2015). According to WHO reports, about 7 % of
the elderly suffer from unipolar disorder, which is associated to living 5.7 % of the years
living with disability.
Electroconvulsive therapy is a standardized treatment that involves electrical
stimulation of the nervous system to treat mental health disorders (Kellner et al., 2016). This
report would focus on the effectiveness of ECT treatment supported by literary evidences
followed by the probable side effects. The report would further focus on the physiological,
psychological, socio-political and the epidemiological implications of this intervention.
Discussion
With the increased ageing population, the elderly adults with mental health disorders
are also increasing. In the field of mental health care prevention, efforts have capacity to
decrease the health care costs, decrease the incidence of the mental illness and enhancing the
functioning and the wellbeing of elderly patients (Leggett & Zarit, 2014). Many studies are of
the opinion that mental health disorders can be a normal part of ageing but not all the aged
people suffer from mental health disorders. Some of the most common mental health illnesses
experienced by the older adults are depression, anxiety disorders and bipolar disorders. There
is a varied range of therapies for the treating the elderly population with mental health
disorders (Zhang et al., 2015).

MENTAL HEALTH FOR OLDER ADULTS
It should be noted that medication related side effects are more likely to occur in the
elderly population. The adverse effects of the psychotropic medications increase with the age
due to the normal physiological processes of ageing. This is due to the changes in the
pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the psychotropic medications. Hence, there is a
need for safer treatment for treating elderly patients with severe mental disorders.
Electroconvulsive therapy can be considered as one of the oldest treatment used in all
age group patients. With years, the ECT technique has refined itself reducing the associated
risks (Kellner et al., 2016). As the Australian population continues to age the usage and the
safety of the electroconvulsive therapy in the elderly patients has become an important
clinical issue.
ECT is normally a treatment of choice for the older adults whose depression
symptoms are presented with life threatening behaviors or symptoms like feeling of suicidal
or refusing to eat, or in elderly patients with psychotic disorder or catatonia (Zhang et al.,
2015). Other symptoms where ECT can be used are severe bipolar disorder, schizophrenia,
bipolar mania or schizoaffective disorder (Bjølseth et al., 2013). ECT can also be effective in
case of certain neurodegenerative diseases like neurolkeptic malignant syndrome, Parkinson’s
disease, dementia with severe clinical depression. Patients suffering from less severe types of
depressions are also referred for ECT when they are not responding to any kind of
pharmacotherapeutics (Bjølseth et al., 2013).
There had been refinement in the treatment techniques from sin waves to pulse waves,
use of bilateral to unilateral electrodes, use of muscle relaxants, monitoring of the seizure by
cuff method to electroencephalogram seizures (Ramalingam et al., 2015). The types of the
anesthetic agents during ECT have also improved to ensure safety of the people with co
morbid conditions.