It is becoming common in Pakistan that elderly parents are residing away from their children primarily due to (i) Children’s work abroad or in other cities, (ii) Children unable to give time to parents due to extended work hours, and (ii) society is gradually moving away from the joint family system.
The separation causes a considerable emotional impact on both the children (unable to take care or provide an emotional presence to the parents) whereas the parents feel socially neglected, lonely and unwanted. While the children (or parents themselves) take care of their parent’s physical needs, the emotional needs are often neglected.
Moreover, an elderly person also requires counseling to deal with stress after developing chronic pain, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, or other medical disorders resulting in a decline of health or function. Elderly people may also suffer memory problems, have difficulty dealing with the death of a spouse, and social problems such as boredom, inadequate social interaction, feeling of not being needed anymore, neglect by family including possible physical and mental abuse is some of the cases.
This situation and environment manifest in mental health issues such as depression, social anxiety, and other behavioral issues, etc., resulting in elderly people not taking care of their hygiene, refusal to take medicine or use of a walker, dis-engaging with family members or becoming irritating, aggressive, etc. In addition, older adults have a variety of special needs that a SehatYab counselor can help with.
Elderly behavioral health is also important to everyone in the family to understand the changes their older loved ones are going through. Counselors will also give family members guidance on how to provide a warm and loving home to a parent, or a grandparent.
Behavioral mental health is important at all ages but perhaps more so in geriatrics. If you are concerned about the behavioral mental health of an elderly person, visit www.sehatyab.com or call Customer Services at 0300-1003171 for more information about geriatric mental health.
SehatYab Approach
- Normally Elderly Counselling services are asked for by the son/daughter of the elderly person.
- The need for elderly mental care might not be understood (or considered as a stigma) by the elderly, therefore it will be introduced by the SehatYab counselor (to the elderly person) as a “community service/research project about retired people”.
- The Counsellor engages them in discussions about their achievements, opinions about life, society and finds out their issues, fears, etc. through providing a listening ear for matters that the elderly wishes to talk about.
- The objective is primarily that elderly person is motivated for self-care, hygiene, taking medicines, less lonely, and improved inter-person behavior. Generally a happier and engaged individual.
SehatYab Services
- Initial introductory session with a psychologist.
- Weekly motivational sessions with a psychologist. Packages consisting of 3, 6, 9, or 12 sessions are available.
- Consultations with psychiatrists and medical specialists can be arranged (if required).