{"id":1314485,"date":"2019-09-10T21:00:31","date_gmt":"2019-09-11T03:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/?p=987401"},"modified":"2019-09-12T08:53:21","modified_gmt":"2019-09-12T14:53:21","slug":"longevity-part-4-maintaining-mental-wellness-into-the-late-adult-and-senior-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/local-news\/longevity-part-4-maintaining-mental-wellness-into-the-late-adult-and-senior-years\/","title":{"rendered":"Longevity Part 4 \u2014 maintaining mental wellness into the late adult and senior years"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
Glen and Lynne Jammaron at their ranch overlooking the Roaring Fork River near Glenwood Springs.<\/strong>
John Stroud\/Post Independent<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Mental illness is just a part of life for longtime Glenwood Springs resident Lynne Jammaron.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s something she deals with both personally and in her efforts to help others through their own struggles.<\/p>\n

Diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 19, Jammaron has lived with mental illness all of her adult life. Her experience runs the gamut: ups and downs, manic moments, mood swings, breakdowns \u2014 and the returns to well-being.  <\/p>\n

Now 56, she doesn\u2019t let the illness define her. But her willingness to share her experiences can provide a defining moment for others struggling with their own mental health.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople need to know, first and foremost, that they\u2019re not alone, and that they\u2019re not the only one dealing with something that isolates them and fills them with fear and dread \u2026,\u201d Jammaron said.<\/p>\n

Jammaron leads a weekly Connection Recovery peer support group in Glenwood Springs through the Roaring Fork Valley chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).<\/p>\n

In her own journey, Jammaron had the strong support of family, including husband Glen, along with a good network of friends and a caring church family. But she recognizes that not everyone has that level of support, which is why she became involved with NAMI.<\/p>\n

Glen, in particular, was a rock in her life during the tough times.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did this together as a team, just trying to find a balance, a good state of mind and a good relationship,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Outside of family, there was also NAMI and its support groups.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was amazing to me to see that there were a lot of other people who dealt with what I was dealing with,\u201d Jammaron said. \u201cWe want people to know that they can come to a place of hope, health and healing, just as I have done.\u201d<\/p>\n

LATE-LIFE CONCERNS<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Those who attend Jammaron\u2019s and other support groups in the Valley span the age spectrum. But she has also observed that the vast majority of people who regularly take part tend to be older adults who have learned through the years to manage their condition.<\/p>\n

Millions of adults in the United States with a mental health condition have adapted through medication, regular psychiatric care and any of a variety of support mechanisms. It\u2019s something they will continue to live with and adapt to as they get older.<\/p>\n

According to statistics compiled by NAMI, one in five adults in America will experience a mental illness on some level, and nearly one in 25 (10 million) adults live with a serious mental illness.<\/p>\n

Half of chronic mental illness starts around age 14, and three-quarters by age 24, according to that same set of statistics. But the stress and anxiety of later adulthood and post-retirement can also be a concern on the mental health front.<\/p>\n

\u201cDepression is not more common in the elderly, but it often does present itself for the first time when a person is older,\u201d said Dr. Jules Rosen, a geriatric psychiatrist from Summit County who recently retired as chief medical officer for Mind Springs Health.<\/p>\n

Rosen spent the last six years with Mind Springs, while also teaching as a professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado. Prior to that, he was a professor of medicine and chief of geriatric psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh for 32 years. <\/p>\n

\n
\n
Dr. Jules Rosen, retired chief medical officer of Mind Springs Health, speaks at the 2018 Longevity event in Glenwood Springs.<\/strong>
Chelsea Self \/ Post Independent file<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cLate-life depression can strike out of the blue,\u201d Rosen said.<\/p>\n

There are late-life stress factors to be aware of \u2014 final career advancement, the transition to retirement, financial security, health concerns and physical limitations that come with aging, and the sense of mortality when friends or loved ones die.<\/p>\n

But there doesn\u2019t have to be a specific cause for depression or late onset of a more serious mental health condition, Rosen said. A condition may have gone undiagnosed for many years, but only shows itself later in life. <\/p>\n

In any case, \u201cwithout treatment, it can be a very serious and even fatal condition,\u201d Rosen said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf all the fatal illnesses late in life, though, depression is the most treatable. When I see somebody with straight-forward major depression late in life, my expectation is 100 percent recovery. It may take four weeks, or it may take four months, but it can be treated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Short of a clinical diagnosis for a more serious condition, a person\u2019s mental wellness associated with aging issues can benefit from a visit to a mental health counselor, Rosen added.<\/p>\n

LET\u2019S TALK<\/strong><\/p>\n

Oyen Hoffman, a family therapist and member of the behavioral health care team at Mountain Family Health Centers in Glenwood Springs and Rifle, said he works with a lot of people in their 50s and 60s who are struggling with the transitions that come with that period in a person\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s when people start to evaluate their life \u2014 where they are, where they thought they would be, where they\u2019re headed,\u201d Hoffman said.<\/p>\n

Oftentimes, those concerns revolve around finances, and whether they\u2019ve properly prepared for retirement, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut they tend not to think about purpose and meaning and the values in their life,\u201d Hoffman said. \u201cTheir job might be their identity \u2026 then they retire, and they don\u2019t have that purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n

Boredom and depression can set in during early retirement. There\u2019s also an uptick in alcoholism and suicide rates during that period of life, he noted.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a lot of things that aren\u2019t in the retirement brochure,\u201d Hoffman said, adding that it\u2019s healthy to have the conversations around that transition well ahead of time.<\/p>\n

Medical challenges that come with age can also affect a person\u2019s mental well-being, Hoffman added.<\/p>\n

\u201cHearing loss can be a real contributor to depression, and if we\u2019re not able to catch that we could be missing something,\u201d he said of Mountain Family\u2019s focus on integrative health care that looks not only at a person\u2019s physical health but the mental side of it, as well.<\/p>\n

If a person can\u2019t hear well, they\u2019re more likely to isolate and shy away from social settings, which can lead to depression, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIsolation is the worst thing \u2014 for everyone and everything,\u201d adds Gary Schreiner, also a family therapist at Mountain Family and head of behavioral health services for the multi-county network of community health clinics in Garfield, Eagle and Pitkin counties.  <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re social animals, so when a person feels isolated, whether they\u2019re depressed or bipolar, whatever, it\u2019s going to make it worse,\u201d Schreiner said.<\/p>\n

Keeping people active and involved in social settings is important, whether it\u2019s therapy for someone with a diagnosed mental health condition, or someone just looking to stay active and engaged in late life, he said.<\/p>\n

Being single as one ages is a common struggle, whether it\u2019s the result of losing a spouse to death or never having married in the first place, or remarried after a divorce.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t tell you how many folks in retirement tell me they just wish they had someone to share their life with,\u201d Hoffman said. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe lack of a close personal relationship is the health equivalent of smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. So, we have to have relationships. We\u2019re hard-wired for relationships.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
NAMI web file<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

MENTAL HEALTH IN ELDER CARE<\/strong><\/p>\n

For people diagnosed with a mental illness earlier in life, whether it\u2019s clinical depression, a mood disorder or severe psychosis, continued psychiatric care later in life is crucial, according to Dr. Rosen.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also important for patients, and their medical doctors, to understand the possible conflicts between medications intended to control a mental health condition, and those prescribed for medical conditions such as high blood pressure.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m 68 now, and so many of my contemporaries are on six to eight different medications,\u201d Rosen said. \u201cDifferent drug interactions can cause side effects that can affect both mood and cognition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over-the-counter medications can also be a concern, which is why a comprehensive approach to a person\u2019s health care is critical, especially later in life, he said<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to know every single medication that our patients are on,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

As a person ages, the lines can also be blurred from a layman\u2019s perspective between what might appear to be a psychotic episode, but which might actually be the onset of dementia, Rosen also emphasized.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s where integrated treatment is important, and something for families to consider when a loved one starts to show signs of decline.<\/p>\n

\u201cBipolar late in life can look like Alzheimer\u2019s Disease, so it\u2019s important to know what we\u2019re dealing with,\u201d Rosen said. <\/p>\n

\u201cAs people age, treating bipolar is really an art,\u201d he added, noting that doctors have to stay on top of medication dosages to avoid toxic reactions due to a lifetime of using a particular drug, such as lithium.<\/p>\n

Left untreated, late-life depression can also speed the physical decline, Rosen said.<\/p>\n

If an older person constantly says, \u201cI don\u2019t feel well,\u201d that alone can be a sign of depression, he said. <\/p>\n

Again, finding ways for older people to stay active and engaged in social settings is critical, Rosen, Hoffman and Schreiner all three concurred.<\/p>\n

BEYOND THE STIGMA<\/strong><\/p>\n

A few years ago, NAMI partnered with suicide response agency Aspen Hope Center and Aspen Strong to raise awareness and start a conversation in the region about mental health issues. <\/p>\n

An educational event at the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen drew a standing-room-only crowd, said Linda Spencer, another NAMI group organizer and board member for the organization.<\/p>\n

A separate meeting with area police chiefs and sheriffs followed, which focused on the difficulties law enforcement agencies contend with in dealing with someone who has a mental illness.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had no idea when we started this that it was going to grow so fast,\u201d Spencer said of the peer-to-peer and family support groups. <\/p>\n

\n
Lynne and Glen Jammaron<\/strong>
Provided<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Jammaron would like to expand her own outreach to area churches, as her own church family has been one of the places where she found support and understanding.  <\/p>\n

She and Glen have also become advocates for expanding mental health services on the Western Slope. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very hard for someone dealing with a mental health break, and there\u2019s no place to go,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

West Springs Hospital in Grand Junction, which is the only psychiatric hospital on the Western Slope and is operated by Mind Springs, expanded last year. Already, it has a wait list, Jammaron said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you have a loved one needing 24\/7 care, and you have to go to Denver \u2026 you lose that intimacy,\u201d she said. \u201cWe need those resources here.\u201d <\/p>\n

jstroud@postindependent.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

via:: Post Independent<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Glen and Lynne Jammaron at their ranch overlooking the Roaring Fork River near Glenwood Springs.John Stroud\/Post Independent Mental illness is just a part of life for longtime Glenwood Springs resident Lynne Jammaron. It\u2019s something she deals with both personally and in her efforts to help others through their own struggles. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1314485","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-24 12:16:22","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSKE Ski Country","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1314485","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1314485"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1314485\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1314532,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1314485\/revisions\/1314532"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1314485"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1314485"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1314485"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}