Aging is completely normal but for many of us it can be very overwhelming and scary. Mae West has been credited with the quote, "old age ain't for sissies" and she couldn't have spoken a more accurate truth.
Eric Ericson, an expert on human development, says that the final stage of life is a very powerful time that ends in wisdom if a person successfully completes the life stage he calls, "Integration verses Despair". Often Elders show signs of Depression as they begin to struggling with the process of growing old, losing old friends and beginning to be limited by bodily changes. It is perfectly normal to struggle when life changes are intense and final, but you don't have to do it alone! |
Fear, sadness, agitation, irritability, loneliness, as well as sleep problems, weepiness and anxiety are often present when an Elder is preparing to journey this final stage of human development; I have found that these symptoms quickly resolve when that person is given the opportunity to talk about their lives and to begin to make meaning and sense.
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