What Does a Geriatric Psychologist Do?

Geriatric psychology is a science that studies the changes, characteristics, and regularities of the psychological activities of individuals and groups as they age. It is a branch of developmental psychology that studies the psychological characteristics of the elderly individuals and their changing laws, also known as aging psychology.

Chinese name: Geriatric psychology

Applied discipline: psychology

Geriatric Psychology

Geriatric psychology is a branch of developmental psychology that studies the psychological characteristics and changes of individuals in the elderly, also known as aging psychology. It is also emerging

Geriatric psychology Of Gerontology. ^[1]

Because human psychological activity is based on the functions of the nervous system and other organs, and is subject to social constraints, geriatric psychology involves both biological and social aspects. The scope of research includes changes in the psychological processes of human perception, learning, memory, and thinking, as well as changes in psychological characteristics such as intelligence, character, and social adaptation caused by old age.

In the West, Hall was the first person who systematically explained the psychological problems of old age. In his book "Aging", he reviewed his life with the thought of developing psychology throughout his life. He opposes aging as merely a return to the early stages of a person's return, emphasizing significant individual differences in the aging process among older people.

After the Second World War, with the rapid increase in the proportion of the elderly in the population, experimental and other studies on the aging of psychological activities have increased dramatically. According to reports, there were 7 reviews on the psychology of the elderly published in the 30 years from 1951 to 1980, citing 247 journals and 1,571 papers. In a review published in 1983, 4,057 articles on adult development and psychology of the elderly were consulted in just six years from 1975 to 1981.

In Chinese psychology, there is also a tendency to focus only on child development and neglect adulthood and old age psychology. Only after the 1960s, the perspective of lifelong developmental psychology has gradually been accepted by people, and old age psychology has become an important part of developmental psychology. ^[2]

In China, the thoughts on geriatric psychology and health science have a long history, as early as the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. There are many stories about the philosophers in adjusting their emotions to extend their lives.

Another example is contained in Sun Qiang's "Qian Jin Yi Fang" of the Tang Dynasty: "On the theory: more than 50 years of human life, the sun is dying, the sun is dying, the heart is fading, after forgetting the past, living in inertia, and all of them Dissatisfaction, instability in audio-visual, more retreat and less advancement, different sun and moon, all things scattered, boring, forgetful and angry, mutated temperament, imperfect eating and drinking, restlessness ... " A series of changes in memory, vision, hearing, taste, personality and emotional state in the old process.

The research work of modern geriatric psychology started late in China. More systematic work in this area began in the 1980s, with a focus on aging research in memory.

Introduction to Geriatric Psychology

The memory of the elderly also declines slowly with the aging of various organs of the body. This is a natural law and a normal phenomenon. The method of delaying memory decline and enhancing memory can not lose confidence in one's own memory and produce negative emotions such as anxiety, sorrow, and anxiety, because the role of psychological effects in enhancing memory is very important. At the same time, the elderly must supplement protein, trace elements, vitamins and other nutrients in a timely and appropriate manner, quit smoking and alcohol, and pay attention to memory hygiene. People's memory is also used as much as the human brain. The older the elderly, if they use more time to remember, repeat practice, and increase the impression to strengthen memory training, can delay the decline of memory and enhance memory. ^[1]

Development of geriatric psychology

Since the 1950s, there have been the most researches on intelligence problems in the elderly, followed by memory and learning problems in the elderly. In general, geriatric psychology focuses on the aging of cognitive processes, then on personality, social adaptation, and attitudes. In addition, some people emphasize the study of psychobiology, or the study of socio-psychological processes, and some people study the relationship between feeling and perception and the age changes of health and survival. There are also some training studies on senile cognition. In China, there is a long history of thinking about geriatric psychology and health. As early as during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods, there were a lot of discussions about the philosophers in adjusting their emotions to extend their lives. For example, Confucius emphasized the thoughts of "Benevolent Life" and "Wise Life", and put forward the opinions of "thirty standing, forty without confusion, fifty for destiny, sixty for obedience, and seventy for heart." In "Tao Da Jing" and "Zhuang Zi", the idea of "returning to the plain and returning to the truth" without any desire, ignorance and inaction is clearly put forward, which has an important influence on the health care of Chinese history.

Geriatric psychology

Psychologists believe that human health should include both physical and psychological aspects. The former is obvious and easy to be found; the latter is more hidden, and psychological disorders often occur in healthy people, so it is very easy to be ignored. Take the above-mentioned mental disorders of the elderly, they also mostly occur in the elderly with good health and intelligence. At first glance, it seems puzzling, but in fact it makes sense. When I was struggling with strength and strength in that year, a heart fluttered into my work, even though there was something uncomfortable and unbalanced in my heart, I felt uncomfortable in my body, and I did nt have time to think much about it. Now I have taken a rest, everything. Have to go through it from your head. In this way, once the thinking enters the dead end and gets horny, it is easy for psychological abnormalities and abnormal behaviors. In addition, the study is usually relaxed, the self-discipline is not strict, and the communication with colleagues is reduced, which will inevitably fall into the mind. Misunderstandings have caused all kinds of suspicions, paranoia, and subjective speculation. An old friend said of his feelings: "I do nt know what to do. Now I am sensitive when things happen. I am speculative about the unbelievable phenomenon, like a man in a parable who suspects others are stealing an axe. People. "It is said that" Heart disease should be treated with heart medicine ", as long as the" condition "is identified, the" symptom "is prescribed, and it is not a big deal to help people with mental disorders to get out of the misunderstanding. However, the difficulty is difficult: psychological obstacles occur in the elderly, and it is often young and middle-aged people who do elderly work. Since these young and middle-aged people do not have the life experience of retired elderly, nor can they talk about the psychological experience of the elderly, nor do they have a panacea to cure the psychological disorders of the elderly, so they feel helpless when they encounter the psychological problems of the elderly. Reality puts forward an urgent task for comrades who are working in the elderly: learn about psychology in old age. ^[1]

Characteristics of changes in elderly psychology

1. Forgetfulness. After entering old age, the intelligence gradually declines, but its degree is very different, and it is closely related to psychological factors. Some people lack self-confidence, self-defeating, and think that their intelligence is diminished, but they are not as serious as imagined. The intelligence of the elderly is gradually decreasing. It is generally believed that the intelligence reaches the highest level at the age of 18, and then gradually declines. The age of 50 is only equivalent to the age of 15 and the age of 80 is more significant. It is approximately equivalent to children at 85. At the age of 5 years and 10 months, due to individual differences, 10% to 25% of people do not show mental retardation. This is also a major factor in forgetfulness due to the memory decline of older people.

2. Anxiety. With the aging and the change of mental emotions, depression is manifested as inner emptiness, prone to anxiety and depression, and often accompanied by self-blame. Often there is a sense of anxiety about the sky, a tense feeling of great difficulty, or a depression, and a lack of aggressive attitude when encountering problems. 48% of the elderly outpatients with financial conditions have depression, and 44% of the elderly with good health and good economic conditions have depression symptoms, and many people have seizures once a month for several hours or A few days long, manifested in depression, anxiety, depression, anxiety, etc., and more self-blame for memories of the past.

3. Emotional change. When the brain tissue is aging or accompanied by certain brain diseases, there are often obvious emotional changes, often losing self-control, easy to be angry, and difficult to calm down. The degree of emotional excitement and the degree of unpleasant things encountered are not the same. Corresponding. Sometimes it is sad or unhappy for the fate of the surrounding environment and the fate of the relevant characters in the film and television. Emotional changes of varying degrees such as rising, falling, and agitating quickly appear, sometimes naive and simple, and suddenly emotionally changeable.

Psychology Tower

4. Suspected disease. Half of the elderly over the age of 60 may have symptoms of suspected disease. This is because the psychological characteristics of the elderly have shifted from concern for external things to their own bodies. In addition, these concerns can be strengthened by certain subjective feelings. And because of the stubborn and persistent personality, it is more prone to suspected symptoms, often head discomfort, tinnitus, gastrointestinal dysfunction, and insomnia. Even if you have a little discomfort, you should report it to those around you. Sometimes I pay too much attention to some medical knowledge in newspapers and books and compare myself with my discomfort. I am often uneasy, uneasy, and even seek medical treatment many times.

5. Suspicion and jealousy. It is generally believed that when people enter old age, they have a greater sense of distrust and self-esteem towards the people around them. They often take into account the behaviors of others. In serious cases, they think that others are insincere and often skeptical. Due to a decline in physical function and decreased sexual desire, it is easy to suspect his spouse's behavior and often quarrel over it. And due to the decline of judgment and understanding, these ideas often become more stubborn, and even develop into delusions. Whenever I see young people lively and active, I often feel jealous and blame.

Psychological significance in the elderly

Aging is the only way of life, and the decline of mental activity is a cumulative process. It is wrong to disagree with old age and not to recognize aging as one of the biological laws. It is impossible for a person to "live forever." By studying geriatric psychology, you can understand the knowledge and characteristics of geriatric psychology in a timely manner. Once there is a decline, deviation, or obstacle in psychological activities, it can be corrected through self-regulation in a timely manner, guide yourself to live a good life, and enhance mental health factors and confidence It is conducive to the proper handling of family life, it is conducive to the improvement of the life, the prevention of psychosomatic diseases, the longevity of life, the prevention and delay of the aging process. ^[1]

Notes on geriatric psychology

In order to make the elderly enjoy their old age after retirement, we should pay attention to the following points: 1. To have a regular life: regular life and rest, is conducive to the elderly's physical and psychological activities are rhythmic, and is conducive to the physical and mental health of the elderly.

2. Pay attention to the physical and mental health of the diet: wash your hands before meals, try to quantify each meal, avoid overeating, and pay attention to the mental health of the diet, and strive to be calm, happy, and depressed before and after meals Or overjoyed.

3. Do the appropriate work within your ability: After retirement, the elderly have nothing to do, their life loses their sense of rhythm, and they feel lonely. This depressed mental state is very detrimental to their physical and mental health. It is important to participate in work within their capacity means.

4. Have art hobbies and entertainment activities: Old people's hobbies of painting, calligraphy, music, poetry and other arts can eliminate loneliness and loneliness and cultivate sentiments. The elderly also need appropriate recreational activities, but do not take too long to participate, the content should not be too thrilling or too boring, and the scenes should not be too noisy or too complicated.

5. Pay attention to psychological cultivation: the science of health in the motherland emphasizes the importance of psychological cultivation in health. Therefore, the elderly should pay attention to mental health, improve their mental health, and spend their old age happily. ^[1]