well established that anxiety isn ’ t uncommon in older adults and effective treatments exist .”
“ I cannot think of any danger in identifying anxiety in older adults , especially because doing so has no harm and we can do things to reduce it ,” said Dr . Helen Lavretsky , a psychology professor at UCLA .
In a recent editorial in JAMA Psychiatry , Andreescu and Lavretsky noted that only about one-third of seniors with generalized anxiety disorder — intense , persistent worry about everyday matters — receive treatment . That ’ s concerning , they said , considering evidence of links between anxiety and stroke , heart failure , coronary artery disease , autoimmune illness , and neurodegenerative disorders such as dementia .
Other forms of anxiety commonly undetected and untreated in seniors include phobias ( like a fear of dogs ), obsessive-compulsive disorder , panic disorder , social anxiety disorder ( a fear of being assessed and judged by others ), and post-traumatic stress disorder .
The smoldering disagreement over screening calls attention to the significance of anxiety in later life — a concern heightened during the covid-19 pandemic , which magnified stress and worry among seniors . Here ’ s what you should know .
Anxiety is common . According to a book chapter published in 2020 , authored by Andreescu and a colleague , up to 15 % of people 65 and older who live outside nursing homes or other facilities have a diagnosable anxiety condition .
As many as half have symptoms of anxiety — irritability , worry , restlessness , decreased concentration , sleep changes , fatigue , avoidant behaviors — that can be distressing but don ’ t justify a diagnosis , the study noted .
Most seniors with anxiety have struggled with this condition since earlier in life , but the way it manifests may change over time . Specifically , older adults tend to be more anxious about issues such as illness , the loss of family and friends , retirement , and cognitive declines , experts said . Only a small fraction develop anxiety after turning 65 .
Anxiety can be difficult to identify in older adults . Older adults often minimize symptoms of anxiety , thinking “ this is what getting older is like ” rather than “ this is a problem that I should do something about ,” Andreescu said .
Also , seniors are more likely than younger adults to report “ somatic ” complaints — physical symptoms such as dizziness , fatigue , headaches , chest pain , shortness of breath , and gastrointestinal problems — that can be difficult to distinguish from underlying medical conditions , according to Gretchen Brenes , a professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine .
Some types of anxiety or anxious behaviors — notably , hoarding and fear of falling — are much more common in older adults , but questionnaires meant to identify
. . . up to 15 % of people 65 and older who live outside nursing homes or other facilities have a diagnosable anxiety condition .
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