Senior Care in Crestline OH
Approximately 2.6 percent of the adult population of the United States will receive a diagnosis of bipolar disorder at some point in their lives. Though many people think that this is a condition that is most often found in teenagers and that it disappears by the time that the sufferer is an adult, this is not the case. In fact, the average age of diagnosis is 25, but around 10 percent of the new cases of bipolar disorder and related disorders diagnosed each year are in adults over the age of 50. What this means for your senior care journey with your elderly loved one is that regardless of her age, you should always be vigilant about her behavior and symptoms. Recognizing unusual changes in her personality, mood, or how she seems to think and act can help you to get her the diagnosis she needs to find a treatment or management approach that is right for her.
Bipolar disorder and its variations can be extremely complex. Rather than just needing to be able to recognize one set of symptoms, you need to be able to recognize the symptoms that are associated with all of the different cycles that can occur within this condition. Tracking your parent’s symptoms, mood, and behavior, even when she is under the care of a senior health care services provider, can help you to recognize patterns that you can then report to her doctor when seeking out the proper diagnosis.
Symptoms of the various cycles of bipolar disorder and related conditions include:
Manic/Hypomanic symptoms:
- Increased energy
- Fast thoughts
- Agitation
- Chattiness
- Easily distracted
- Less sleep
- Grandiosity
- Excessive self-esteem
- Irritability
- Reduced judgement or being more likely to make poor or uncontrolled decisions
A hypomanic symptom or episode is one that features the same types of changes, but with less severity than a truly manic episode. While these symptoms can be challenging and make an impact on life, they are not severe enough to require hospitalization or cause serious difficulty. It is important to note that seniors are far more likely to experience manic symptoms such as irritability, agitation, nervousness, and anxiety than high energy and happiness.
Major depressive episode symptoms:
- Feeling sad, empty, or hopeless the vast majority of the time
- Fatigue or lack of energy
- Not being able to think straight
- Diminished interest in activities that the senior usually enjoys
- Changes of weight that are unintentional and not related to other conditions
- Serious changes in sleep patterns
- Lack of amusement or experience of pleasure from activities that they usually enjoy, such as eating, watching favorite television shows, or visiting with friends and family members
Other symptoms:
- Going through four or more marked mood swing episodes within the span of a year, a condition referred to as “rapid cycling”
- Catatonia
- Mood swings or personality changes that correspond with the seasons on a yearly basis
- Unusual variations in mood that do not generally correspond with major depressive disorder, such as suddenly feeling much better if you get good news.
If you are considering hiring senior care services near Crestline, Ohio, call the caring staff at Central Star Home Health at (419) 610-2161. Providing services for families in Mansfield, Lexington, Bellville, Mt. Gilead, Loudonville, Crestline, Galion, Shelby, Ashland, Wooster, and the surrounding areas.
Sources:
http://www.everydayhealth.com/bipolar-disorder/bipolar-disorder-in-seniors.aspx
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/prevalence/bipolar-disorder-among-adults.shtml
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bipolar-disorder/basics/symptoms/con-20027544
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