Mental Health Problems of Elderly Patients

Mental health disorders in older adults—such as depression, anxiety, and dementia—affect roughly one in four adults aged 65 and older, but they are often underrecognized and undertreated.
Changes in mental wellbeing should not simply be dismissed as a normal part of ageing. Recognising difficulties early can help older adults and their families find appropriate support and improve quality of life.

Common Mental Health Disorders

Depression: A mood disorder causing persistent sadness, fatigue, or a loss of pleasure in everyday activities. It can manifest as irritability, physical aches, or cognitive difficulties rather than just sadness.
Dementia: A neurocognitive disorder affecting memory, thinking, and reasoning, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most frequent cause.
Anxiety Disorders: Intense, frequent worry or fear about everyday situations or health, which can severely disrupt daily life and functional abilities.
Substance Abuse: Often involves the misuse or heavy reliance on prescription medications, alcohol, or sedatives.

Key Risk Factors

Social Isolation: Loneliness and a lack of community engagement affect a large portion of older adults and strongly link to depression.
Physical Health Decline: Chronic illnesses, chronic pain, and physical disability raise vulnerability to mental health issues.
Loss and Grief: Bereavement, retirement, reduced income, and the loss of friends or spouses create deep cumulative stress.
Caregiving Strain: Managing the demands of caring for an ailing partner can overwhelm an older adult’s own mental well-being

Warning Signs to Watch For

Noticeable shifts in mood, increased irritability, or aggression.
Loss of interest in hobbies or social withdrawal.
Significant changes in sleep patterns (insomnia or sleeping too much).
Confusion, trouble concentrating, or memory decline

Getting Support

Mental health difficulties can occur at any stage of life, including later adulthood. If you have noticed concerning changes in yourself, a parent, partner or another older person you care about, you do not have to navigate them alone. Speaking to an appropriate healthcare professional can be an important first step towards understanding what is happening and determining what support may be helpful.

Oostenbrink Psychology provides professional psychological support for individuals and families navigating emotional and life challenges. Contact us to discuss your concerns or to arrange an appointment.

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About

Jacob Oostenbrink, MA (Clinical psychology) has been in private practice since 1998. He started his practice in Brackenfell and then relocated to Rustenburg where he practiced for 11 years. His practice focused mainly on clinical work but he was often requested to do consulting work in the Mining Industry (which included the selection of employees, treatment of their substance abusers, assisting them with trauma counseling and addressing employees’ emotional well-being). In 2012 he relocated back to the Western Cape and opened his Clinical practice in Strand. Although he is registered as a clinical psychologist, he has completed both his internships in consulting and clinical psychology and finds himself comfortable in both areas. Prior to completing his MA degree, he was employed in the business environment for 12 years which has given him extensive experience in the Human Resources field. He practices as a clinical psychologist, rendering a variety of services to high school learners (adolescents), adults, couples and business environment.

What is a clinical psychologist?

A clinical psychologist is a person who holds an MA degree in clinical psychology and is registered with the Health Profession Council of South Africa (HPCSA). This profession specialty is mainly concerned with diagnosing more serious mental, emotional and behavioral disturbances. Clinical psychologists tend to view emotional well-being in an integrated way by taking into consideration the related aspects of the environment, body, brain and the mind.

Why do people visit a clinical psychologist?

Individuals visit a clinical psychologist because they are troubled with problems, traumas or issues that they are not able to effectively deal with. These problems mostly have a significant negative impact on various areas of their life and may include school-, work-, home or their relational/marital life.

How are appointments made?

Clients often make appointments for themselves when they have the need to, but are mostly being referred to psychologists by their General Practitioner (GP’s), certain Specialists, Pastors of their congregation, their schools or even by their employers.

What types of problems does a psychologist treat?

Individuals seeking help from a clinical psychologist usually require assistance with both assessment and/or treatment of problems or certain conditions. Clients may present with various problems or symptoms for example:

Attention-Deficit and Disrupted Behaviour Disorder (including ADHD)
Substance-Related Disorders (Including Alcohol, Nicotine, and Drugs)
Schizophrenia and other Psychotic Disorders
Mood Disorder (Including Depressive Disorders and Bipolar Disorders)
Anxiety Disorders (Including Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Panic attacks, Phobias and Obsessive- Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Personality Disorder (Including Antisocial-, Narcissistic-, Avoidant- and Borderline personality disorder)

How can we help you?

Jacob Oostenbrink has thorough experience in the fields of clinical-, counseling and industrial psychology, and does various types of assessments on adolescents and adults for diagnostic, guidance and treatment purposes. His experience and interests are in the following areas

Mood disorders (such as major depression and bipolar mood disorders)
Anxiety disorders (such as panic disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder)
Substance related disorder (such as alcohol and Nicotine dependency)
Personality disorders (assessment and support)
Marital- and relational therapy (Imago therapy)
Subject- and career guidance
Trauma counseling (such as assistance after the death of a loved one, brutal attacks, serious accidents and other life threatening events)
Selection/psychometric assessment of personnel (by making use of various psychometric tests)

Therapeutic Approach

Jacob Oostenbrink believes in a holistic treatment approach. It is therefore important to assess clients and their presenting problems in the context of their psychological history (including childhood wounding and other significant traumatic experiences) as well as present life circumstances that are integral to the individual’s well-being. The client needs to be made aware of why his life is disruptive and how he needs to change in order to achieve a state of emotional well-being. Therapy is an active process and personal responsibility is essential. Because no two clients are the same, therapeutic techniques may differ but it will always have the client’s best interest in mind. Compliance with medication, if it was suggested, is important and is used in collaboration with therapy. Jacob Oostenbrink prefers using the following therapeutic techniques

Hypnosis/Relaxation Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Imago Relational Therapy

“Probably the biggest insight...is that happiness is not just a place, but a process...Happiness is an ongoing process of fresh challenges, and...it takes the right attitudes and activities to continue to be happy”.
-Ed Diener

Mental Health Problems of Elderly Patients