Late life brings new challenges along with other ongoing issues that may have been present at earlier stages of life. Older adults ask themselves “Did I live a meaningful life?” while facing challenges to their physical health, sensory abilities, cognition, social structure in addition perhaps to problems from preexisting mental conditions such as anxiety, depression and addiction.
The elderly may face limitations in their ability to see, hear, ambulate and perform activities of daily living, which can lead to social isolation, under-stimulation and frustration, as well as falls, medication mistakes and other medical problems.
We will discuss your thoughts about the medical issues of aging such as keeping active, maintaining good nutrition and healthy sleep. We’ll discuss psychological and social issues such as cognitive stimulation, engagement with others, maintaining a sense of purpose, maintaining self-esteem, loss of career, spouse or friends, attitudes about living with serious or progressive illnesses and limitations, control versus independence, fear of death versus the discomforts of living, and thoughts about death and dying.
We have expertise in treating the complex intersection of challenges the face older adults. We encourage caregivers and significant others to join appointments to share concerns or information about our patients’ progress.