Geriatrics

Let me say the most important thing first: when some elders “take things lightly, have fewer friends, and like to be quiet by themselves,” it doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong; it might be a healthy shift in mindset. Gerontology calls this “gerotranscendence”: the body slowly declines, but the mind actually becomes calmer and knows more clearly what it wants. This post is an extension of Does an 80-year-old still need to exercise?, written for those of you worrying about why your older family members are getting “more and more indifferent.” ...

Let’s start with the most important point: When older adults with dementia say “I’m fine, no problem,” it’s often not stubbornness, nor a refusal to face reality. It’s that their brain literally cannot detect its own decline. In medicine, this is called impaired insight, and it’s a part of dementia itself. This is an extension of the post Do 80-Year-Olds Still Need to Exercise?, written for those of you who are caring for a family member with dementia and feeling frustrated that “they won’t admit it and won’t listen.” ...

Let’s start with the most important thing: depression in older adults often doesn’t look like “depression." They might not cry or say they’re sad. Instead, it turns into aches and pains all over, poor appetite, bad sleep, and a lack of energy for everything. And so it’s very easy for the whole family (sometimes even physicians) to write it off as “that’s just what happens when you get old,” and quietly miss it. ...