A minimum of 100 words each and References Response (#1 – 6) KEEP RESPONSE WITH ANSWER EACH ANSWER NEED TO HAVE A SCHOLARY SOURCE with a Hyperlink
Make sure the Responses includes the Following: (a) an understanding of the weekly content as supported by a scholarly resource, (b) the provision of a probing question. (c) stay on topic
1. Elderly also suffer from disorders and some are more common in older age. Disorders that are common as people become elderly may be Alzheimer’s diseases which causes a slow progression deterioration of someone’s memory and cognitive areas (Comer, 2019). Many times, elderly experience depression and a high rate as they experience loss of family, a spouse, and friends. Anxiety is common in the elderly along with substance abuse. Other disorders such as delusional disorder which is where people develop beliefs that are false but not bizarre (Comer, 2018). Sometimes when an elderly person starts to forget things, they do not share it with others in the family because they do not want to lose their sense of independence. Many times, the elderly get lonely. We can take up and elderly friend and take them out once a week for a meal or even grocery shopping. We should try to get them involved in groups with each other so that they can hang out and get to socialize.
2. When a person has dementia, he begins to act unlike himself. This condition progresses and has symptoms like Alzheimer’s. Not only does the person have memory problems, but he also has problems with his language. This disorder breaks down his brain. A person with dementia can take medication to alleviate some of the symptoms. Just to add to your list of symptoms are mood swings, becoming antisocial and a gradual loss of body functions (Rupavate, 2014).
3. As people age, they can expect to be more prone to illness and injury from things like falls. Stress from loss of loved ones or inability to do previous activities can be expected as well as sleep issues including insomnia (Comer, 2017). All of these issues can lead to depression, substance abuse, or anxiety which can all be treated with behavioral therapy and pharmacological intervention. Disorders that may occur include delirium, neurocognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s, and vascular neurocognitive disorders such as a stroke (Comer, 2017). These disorders affect both brain structure and brain circuits. Alzheimers is a disease that can be diagnosed based on symptoms however, a certain diagnosis can only be made with an autopsy. Our society does not have enough support for the late adulthood population. We need more therapist who specialize in this area, better community services such as transportation, day facilities, and affordable quality housing or assisted living homes.
4. Insanity is a legal term that was not defined by clinicians but legislators. A person can use the insanity defense if he was mentally unstable at the time he committed the crime. A second condition when a person can use the insanity defense is if the person did not know right from wrong. When this happens, the person would not be placed in prison but will be placed in a treatment facility. A person who is considered insane is judged with the M’Naghten test. This legal test is widely used for insanity that holds people to be insane at the time the person committed the crime. This shows that the person had a mental disorder and did not know the nature of the crime (Comer, 2018).
5. Someone could use the insanity defense when they are being charged with a crime and they are trying to not go to jail. “Defendants may have mental disorders but not necessarily qualify for a legal definition of insanity (Comer, 2018).” The defendants can try and plead with insanity because they think they have a mental disorder. Their lawyer would need to try and prove that they were not sane when committing the crime. If someone tried to kill someone and they plead that they have a mental disorder such as schizophrenia, then they can possibly get the insanity defense. Over time, they have produced tests that these people can take to determine if they are sane or not. “A person who committed a crime during an uncontrollable “fit of passion” was considered insane and not guilty under this test (Comer, 2018).” Not every mental disorder will go along with these tests because some of the disorders allows the person to think clearly and know right from wrong.
6. Mental Health legislations are in place to help eliminate discrimination again individuals with mental illnessess. These laws cover all people, whether the illness is mental or physical, but allows treatment involuntarily to those that lack decision-making capabilities (Szmukler, Daw, & Callard, 2010). Courts need to know whether people who commit crimes are responsible for the crime in order to give appropriate punishments (Comer, 2018). There are times where the courts decide that people who suffer from severe mental instability may not be responsible for actions that are displayed. If a person can prove that they were insane at the time of the crime, then this allows one to use the insanity defense (Comer, 2018). Congress passed a law making the defense prove that defendents are insane, rather than proving them sane, due to mental state changing over time (Comer, 2018).