The daily challenges brought about by Covid and the physical impact of the illness on the elderly have given rise to fresh concerns for the mental health and well-being of this already vulnerable age group.
“Approximately five percent of 65 year olds suffer from some form of dementia, the prevalence of which doubles every five years, so at the age of 70, about 10% will have dementia,” he says. “We have seen an increase in psychotic depression in the form of paranoia, delusions such as imagined theft, as well as hallucinations, typically corresponding to the person’s mood,” he says.
“It is not always easy for the generations of people currently over the age of 65 to talk about mental health but safe spaces do exist for the very purpose of them being able to express themselves. Such physical factors play a significant role in the deterioration of mental health and can lead to enduring depression and conditions such as delirium, which could be mistaken for dementia.