Psychiatry problems in elderly people increasing

By Haryananewswire

CHANDIGARH, OCT 6

The experts on mental health have observed that lack of emotional bonding due to breaking of joint family fabric in India is a major cause of increase in psychiatry problems in elderly people.

The experts were expressing their views in Annual Continued Medical Education (CME) of Indian Psychiatry Society (Haryana State) organized in the Haryana Institute of Public Administration (HIPA) in Gurgaon today. The theme of this symposium was ‘Geriatric Mental Health- An Update.’ About 60 participants from all over the state participated in the symposium.

          The symposium was inaugurated by the Director General of HIPA Mr Ranjeev Singh Dalal who felt that in today’s stressful world, mental health is affected seriously and a number of people need help of psychiatrists. One small counseling can create wonders. He said that old persons need to be listened patiently by the younger generation which is really a difficult task but the younger ones should also remember that they would also have to pass through that phase of life. The older people should also try to accommodate themselves with the changing times and conditions. He said that a number of organizations need help of psychiatrists; even the schools will need them, so the cadre of psychiatrists has to grow in a big way.

          Patron of the Indian Psychiatry Society (Haryana State) Dr Rajeev Gupta said that the theme of the symposium is related with the theme of World Mental Health Day 2013 which is ‘Mental Health and Older Adults’. He said that the problem today is that the older people think conventionally and feel that their families were not taking proper care of them. He said that now the younger generation has become career conscious due to which the emotional attachment has decreased among families. The elderly people feel neglected and isolated.  He opined that the emotional connection is missing and the older persons are reduced to physical entity which means that only providing food and other facilities are taken care of. It is really shameful on our part. Problem of connecting each other emotionally and creating a more responsive society is a bigger challenge before the psychiatrists.

          In his welcome address, Chairman of the Society Dr Brahmdeep Sindhu said that at a time when life expectancy has increased, we need to deal with elderly people in a better way. He said that Mental Health Awareness Week is being observed in Haryana from  October  4 to 10 during which efforts will be made to create awareness among the masses about the problems of older people as the world mental health day falls on October 10. He hoped that the symposium will help in diagnosing the problems of Alzheimer Dementia (disease of memory loss) early in the elderly so that they can be cured quickly. Earlier, such problems were overlooked but now we must think as to which tests need to be done and what medication is to be prescribed, Dr Sindhu added.

Director of Mullana Medical College Prof R C Jiloha felt that because of nuclear family, there is less interaction among family members and in a way, the elderly are socially deprived so they are more vulnerable to mental health problems.

          Organising Secretary of the Society Dr Rakesh Prasad, Treasurer Dr Davinder Singh, Co-ordinator Dr Swati, Joint Secretary Dr Harish Saini were also present among others.

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