What Is Stigma in Mental Health and How It Affects Older Adults
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Just a short jaunt from the verdant Chandler Bridge Creek, which offers residents a unique view of nature, the senior living community of Summerville provides support in the form of Memory Care. Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding this form of emotional support for aging prevents many from accepting it.
However, what is stigma in mental health, and how is mental wellness in Summerville, SC, affected by such information? Why don't older adults seek help on this issue, and why do they believe it's simply a regular part of aging?
Below, we discuss the effect of memory care and emotions on a person able to express themselves, as well as how a combination of aging and stigma can prevent someone from having a healthy relationship with their mental health.
What Is Stigma in Mental Health?
While there are strong pushes for people to engage in healthy therapy sessions and other ways to improve their mental wellness, community norms in many senior circles lead to issues with expressing emotional vulnerability. Many older generations adhere to a form of personal stoicism, particularly in masculine circles, and therefore, many seniors consider it unnecessary or shameful to discuss their emotions or feelings.
These people then label emotional struggle as a personal failing, or in senior years as a sign of aging, describing such people as:
- Senile
- Disturbed
- Confused
- Decrepit
- Crazy
A lack of clear information for many of these older individuals may prevent them from seeking help, as much modern mental wellness aid is presented in media forms geared towards younger people. As such, it is rare to find anyone who knows that they can look, let alone knows where to look.
Then, as they age, many of these seniors may begin to feel anxious about their changing bodies and minds. If they lose memories, they are likely to consider themselves a burden, much like they might have been taught to consider others when they were younger. It goes so far that 75% of adults aged 65 or more believe that mental health issues have a negative societal image. (Gallup, 2024)
How Stigma Manifests in Later Life
When bodily or mental issues lead to depression or anxiety, people will often fail to recognize it for what it is. The sufferer is even likely to avoid concepts such as seeking therapy or counseling. Either they won't believe it has merit, or they will want to avoid judgment, especially in smaller American towns where they feel their social group is more limited.
A lot of this is even unconscious. People in these communities may unconsciously use dismissive language when discussing someone, potentially causing harm to those who overhear them.
It is for this reason that here in Terrabella Summerville, we train our staff to understand the unspoken needs of our residents, looking out for those who may need therapy but be unable to express it. As many as one-fifth of those over 60 may be suffering from mental or neurological disorders (Elshaikh, 2023), so our staff may often be the first line of defense for some who need help.
We will listen out for people dismissing a resident's sadness as "winter blues" during an activity or suggestions that seniors are excluding others from conversations due to discussions of emotions and therapy. We will then make a note of this for the family to respond to while also intervening to prevent harm from coming to the resident in question. If necessary, we will also engage with the community as a whole, ensuring that we foster a culture of inclusivity when addressing the challenges that many older residents face.
How Stigma Impacts Senior Well-Being
Avoiding seeking help does more than simply lead to a longer period of sadness. Untreated mental health conditions can often worsen, especially if the underlying cause is not dealt with, potentially even manifesting in physical health issues.
It is also extremely common for those suffering to withdraw socially, increasing other risks. They will suffer from loneliness, which can quickly trigger other problems, including cognitive decline.
Those facing extreme depression are likely to suffer from long-term stress, which can even reduce the robustness of one's skeletal system according to Ng and
Chin (2021), leading to falls. In others, it could reduce the effectiveness of one's immune system, leading to immune system problems, heart disease, kidney issues, or other health issues.
When all these factors occur, the individual's quality of life is likely to decline steeply, leading to a snowballing issue that reduces their engagement in community life and subsequently exacerbates the problem.
Delayed Help-Seeking Behavior As a Symptom
When people fear judgment for any of the above, including their sudden mood changes, they may struggle to express it to their friends and family. The belief that struggling emotionally is just a part of normal aging may even cause them to feel like a burden to others, delaying their willingness to engage with professionals. In extreme cases, they may even wish to sever their ties with friends and family on a long-term basis.
Offering Help in Summerville
Community leaders must cultivate a culture of senior mental health awareness, encouraging individuals to discuss their emotions and seek help when needed. By doing this, they can then start to promote other activities to support people having difficulties, such as:
- Highlighting common myths about therapy or emotions
- Collaborating with their community to support individuals
- Recommending mental health resources to others
- Partnering with other groups that can offer unique assistance
Here at Terrabella Summerville, we offer many of these services in conjunction with our Memory Care program, which provides individuals with the necessary tools not only to manage emotional challenges but also to address long-term memory difficulties.
Strengthen Mental Wellness With Terrabella Memory Care
What is stigma in mental health? It's a barrier to real help that, along with the right tools, you can help to tear down and ensure that people get the support that they need. Here at Terrabella, we work to do the same, supporting seniors' mental health and giving them the best chance of recovery.
To learn more about what we do, start a conversation with us. Contact our staff today to book a tour of our community. We can help you ensure the health of those you care for.