Mental Health Challenges: Depression, Malnutrition, and Elderly Care

This report provides a comprehensive overview of mental health and malnutrition in elderly individuals, focusing on depression as a common mental disorder and malnutrition as a significant health concern. It explores the prevalence, symptoms, and potential causes of both conditions, highlighting the interconnectedness of mental and physical health in the aging population. The report also examines various treatment strategies, including health promotion, interventions, and mental health care within the community, emphasizing the importance of early recognition, psychosocial interventions, and community support for improving the well-being of older adults. The conclusion underscores the need for immediate assistance and effective strategies to address these challenges and improve the quality of life for the elderly. The report also includes relevant references to support the findings and recommendations.

Introduction
To start with, older adults, those between the age group of 60 years or above, make
significant contributions towards the community as volunteers, family members and lastly,
like active contributors within the workforce (Reed et. al., 2012). While the majority of them
have sound mental health, several older adults are placed at threat of building mental
disorders, substance use issues, malnutrition, neurological disorders and other health issues
like diabetes, osteoarthritis and hearing loss (Jenkins and Macken, 2014). Additionally, as
individual age, they are more likely to experience various situations at the same time.
Moreover, there might be various risk forces for mental health issues at any given point
during the life. Older individuals might face life stressors common for all individuals,
nevertheless also stressors which are highly common during the later life, such as a
substantial continuing loss in abilities and a decrease in functional capability. For instance,
older people might face decreased level of mobility, frailty, chronic pain or other health
issues, for which they need some kind of long-term care (Ryan and Coughlan, 2011).
Additionally, older people are more expected to face events like bereavement, or even a fall
in socio-economic condition with retirement (Jenkins et. al., 2016). Further, all the stressors
could lead to separation, aloneness or psychological distress among older adults, for which
they might need long-term care. Further, taking the above discussion into consideration this
particular paper attempts to examine a mental disorder i.e. depression and a health disorder
i.e. malnutrition with respect to elder people.
Mental Disorder- Depression
Depression is a low mood that lasts for a long time, and affects your everyday life. In its
mildest form, depression can mean just being in low spirits (Jenkins et. al., 2016). It doesn’t
stop you leading your normal life but makes everything harder to do and seem less
worthwhile. At its most severe, depression can be life-threatening because it can make you
feel suicidal (Ryan and Coughlan, 2011). Its an illness that involves the body, mood, and
thoughts and that affects the way a person eats, sleeps, feels about himself or herself, and
thinks about things. Depression is a common mental disorder. Globally, more than 264
million people of all ages suffer from depression. 1 in 5 will experience depression (Nicol,
2015). Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to the
overall global burden of disease. More women are affected by depression than men.

Depression can lead to suicide. There are effective psychological and pharmacological
treatments for moderate and severe depression.
The most prominent symptoms of depression are usually a sad or irritable mood and/or loss
of interest in all or most activities that used to be pleasurable. Depression can worsen many
other medical problems, especially those that cause chronic pain (Jenkins et. al., 2016).
Certain brain chemicals affect pain and mood, and treating depression tends to improve the
symptoms and outcomes of many physical illnesses. Those suffering with depression have
reported also experiencing a feeling of guilt despite having done nothing wrong, as well as
feeling worthless, hopeless, and/or have recurring thoughts of wanting to die, kill, or
otherwise harm themselves, as in cutting or burning themselves. Depression can sometimes
be associated with physical symptoms (Jenkins and Macken, 2014). Examples may include
tiredness and low energy level; trouble sleeping, particularly early morning waking; sleeping
too much; aches or pains, especially headaches, muscle cramps, or digestive problems (for
example, stomach-aches, diarrhoea, or constipation) that do not improve even with pain
focused treatment; feeling or seeming slowed down or agitated and lastly, some individuals
with depression experience an increase or decrease in appetite, which may lead to substantial
loss or gain in weight (Ryan and Coughlan, 2011). Depression can worsen many other
medical problems, especially those that cause chronic pain. Certain brain chemicals affect
pain and mood, and treating depression tends to improve the symptoms and outcomes of
many physical illnesses.
Moving ahead, mental health holds an affect upon physical wellbeing. For instance, older
people experiencing physical health issues like heart disease face greater levels of depression
as compared to ones who are fit (Jenkins et. al., 2016). Moreover, untreated depression
among older people facing heart disease could undesirably impact its result. Older people are
also susceptible to elder mistreatment – taking in physical, psychological, verbal, financial as
well as sexual exploitation; abandonment; disregard and severe losses of respect and dignity.
It has been observed that that 1 in every 6 elder people face elder abuse (Jenkins and Macken,
2014). Additionally, elder abuse could not just result in physical injuries, nevertheless also in
serious, at times continuing psychological impacts, involving anxiety and depression.
Depression could result in high suffering and results in reduced working within everyday life.
Further, unipolar depression happens among 7 percent of the standard older populace and it
accounts for around 5.7 percent of YLDs amongst ones above the age of 60 years (Jenkins et.
al., 2016). Finally, depression is both undertreated and underdiagnosed within primary care

situations. Signs are frequently untreated and overlooked for the reason that they co-occur
with other issues faced through older people (Nicol, 2015). Older adults facing depressive
signs experience poorer working than ones facing chronic medical situations like lung
disease, diabetes or hypertension. Depression also perks up the insight of poor health, the
usage of health care provisions and lastly, costs. The possible causes of depression include
childhood experiences, life events, other mental health problems, physical health problems,
genetic inheritance, medication, recreational drugs and alcohol, sleep, diet and lastly,
exercise.
Health Disorder- Malnutrition
There is no doubt in the fact that just like depression the health disorder i.e. malnutrition is
observed in a high number of elder people in the present day. The malnutrition disorder
chiefly occurs due to lack of consumption proper and adequate food needed by an elder
person to remain healthy. Moving ahead, health holds an affect upon physical wellbeing. For
instance, older people experiencing physical health issues like malnutrition face greater levels
of depression as compared to ones who are fit (Jenkins et. al., 2016). Moreover, untreated
depression among older people facing heart disease could undesirably impact its result. Older
people are also susceptible to elder mistreatment – taking in physical, psychological, verbal,
financial as well as sexual exploitation; abandonment; disregard and severe losses of respect
and dignity. It has been observed that that 1 in every 6 elder people face elder abuse (Jenkins
and Macken, 2014). Additionally, elder abuse could not just result in physical injuries,
nevertheless also in serious, at times continuing psychological impacts, involving anxiety and
depression. Malnutrition could result in high suffering and results in reduced working within
everyday life.
Finally, malnutrition is both undertreated and underdiagnosed within primary care situations.
Signs are frequently untreated and overlooked for the reason that they co-occur with other
issues faced through older people (Nicol, 2015). Older adults facing malnutrition signs
experience poorer working than ones facing chronic medical situations like lung disease,
diabetes or hypertension. Malnutrition also perks up the insight of poor health, the usage of
health care provisions and lastly, costs. The possible causes of malnutrition include childhood
experiences, life events, other mental health problems, physical health problems, genetic
inheritance, medication, recreational drugs and alcohol, sleep, diet and lastly, exercise.

The most prominent symptoms of malnutrition are usually a sad or irritable mood and/or loss
of interest in all or most activities that used to be pleasurable. Malnutrition can worsen many
other medical problems, especially those that cause chronic pain (Jenkins et. al., 2016).
Certain brain chemicals affect pain and mood, and treating malnutrition tends to improve the
symptoms and outcomes of many physical illnesses. Those suffering with malnutrition have
reported also experiencing a feeling of guilt despite having done nothing wrong, as well as
feeling worthless, hopeless, and/or have recurring thoughts of wanting to die, kill, or
otherwise harm themselves, as in cutting or burning themselves. Malnutrition can sometimes
be associated with physical symptoms (Jenkins and Macken, 2014).
Treatment of Depression and Malnutrition
Thus, in such a situation it becomes highly essential to offer proper treatment to elder people
suffering from depression and malnutrition. It is very vital to equip health providers as well
as communities for meeting the particular requirements of older people. Further, other
treatments of depression and malnutrition include:
 Health promotion
The mental and physical well-being of elder people could be enhanced by way of
encouraging Healthy and Active Ageing (Stevens, 2013). Moreover, mental health-particular
health promotion for elder people takes in building living situations and surroundings, which
assist health and enable individuals to live a sound life (Nicol, 2015). Avoiding mental and
health disorders relies greatly upon approaches for ensuring that older adults hold the
essential resources for meeting their requirements, like offering freedom and security;
suitable housing by way of supportive housing strategy; social assistance for older adults
along with their caregivers; social and health programmes intended towards vulnerable
groups like ones who reside unaccompanied and rural populace or those who go through
some relapsing or chronic mental or physical illness; programmes for preventing and
handling elder abuse and lastly, community growth initiatives (Jenkins and Macken, 2014).
 Interventions
Speedy acknowledgment and management of neurological, mental, health and lastly,
substance use illnesses among older people is important (Nicol, 2015). Both psychosocial

intrusions along with medicines are suggested (Jenkins et. al., 2016). Additionally, there
prevails no medication presently accessible for curing dementia nevertheless a lot could be
done for supporting and improving the lives of individuals facing dementia along with their
families and caregivers, like early diagnosis, for promoting early and optimum organization;
optimizing mental and physical health, operational capability and safety; recognizing and
treating accompanying physical sickness; noticing and dealing with challenging conduct and
lastly, offering data and long-term assistance for carers (Nicol, 2015).
 Mental health care in the community
Sound general health as well as social care is highly essential for encouraging elder
individuals’ well-being, averting disease and dealing with chronic sicknesses (Jenkins et. al.,
2016). Moreover, offering training to all the health providers related to health concerns and
disorders associated with ageing is thus vital. Sound, society-level primary mental health
provision for elder adults is vital (Jenkins and Macken, 2014). Further, it’s equally significant
to lay emphasis upon the long-standing care of elder people facing mental and health
disorders, and for providing caregivers education, support and training (Laidlaw, 2015). A
suitable and understanding legislative surroundings grounded upon globally accepted human
rights values is needed for ensuring the utmost quality of provisions to individuals facing
mental sickness along with their caregivers.
Conclusion
To conclude, it can be clearly stated from the above discussion that a large number of elder
people in the present day are facing mental as well as health disorders. As discussed in the
above sections there are a number of reasons leading to such mental and health disorders
among elder people. Thus, this calls for some immediate help and assistance for elder people
in order to ensure that they could effectively cope up with conditions. The doctors and
healthcare staff need to be helpful enough to offer high comfort to elder people. Effective
strategies must be adopted in this respect to improve the on-going situation and prevent its
occurrence in the coming times.

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Jenkins, C., Ginesi, L. and Keenan, B. (2016). Dementia Care at a Glance Chichester. Wiley.
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