Elder Considerations - Personality Disorders

ELDER CONSIDERATIONS

Personality disorders are not first diagnosed in elder per-sons but may persist from young adulthood into older age. Sakauye (2008) wrote that personality disorders from clusters A and C are more prevalent in older age and are closely correlated with depression. Some persons with personality disorders tend to stabilize and experience fewer difficulties in later life. Others are described as “aging badly”; that is, they are unable or unwilling to acknowledge limitations that come with aging, they refuse to accept help when needed, and they do not make reason-able decisions about their health care, finances, or living situation. These individuals seems chronically angry, unhappy, or dissatisfied, resulting in strained relationships and even alienation from family, friends, caregivers, and health-care providers.