Aging
Aging brings with it physical and mental changes but normally those changes do not prevent people from functioning in an effective and satisfying way in a variety of roles in family and community life. Indeed, today’s older adults are healthier, better educated, and more active than ever before. Aging nevertheless also brings increased risk of serious illnesses and disabilities, with all the emotional challenges and struggles they entail. Age does not bring immunity to anxiety and depression, especially when illness and loss become part of the experience. Age also increases the risk of illnesses that involve loss of mental abilities, or dementia. The best known of these, but certainly not the only one, is Alzheimer’s disease. Older adults can benefit as much as younger persons from treatment of conditions such as anxiety and depression, and older adults and their families can benefit greatly from information and guidance about the conditions that affect them.
For more information on aging, follow this link: http://www.apa.org/topics/aging/index.aspx