Public Television Celebrates Mental Health Month and Older Americans Month with Special Three-Part Broadcast "Well Into Your Future: Mental Health and Aging"

(Washington, DC - April 25, 2003) -- In this century, the rate of growth of the elderly population has greatly exceeded the growth rate of the population of the country as a whole. Mental illness is found in over 50% of institutionalized elderly, and in 22% of the general elderly population, much of it going undiagnosed and untreated. This high rate of mental illness among older adults has given rise to the belief that it is to be expected in elderly populations. Mental illness, however, is not a normal part of aging, and has staggering personal, social and economic costs.

WELL INTO YOUR FUTURE: MENTAL HEALTH AND AGING is a new three-part documentary series, airing during Mental Health Month and Older Americans Month (May 2003) on Public Television stations nationwide, that targets the real needs of baby boomers and seniors. Funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, the series addresses the challenges we experience in aging, as well as common mental health issues that those over 65 encounter. It also shares the secrets of people who have maintained vitality and acuity in their later years, and the coping skills of those who have survived mental and emotional difficulties and mental illnesses.

Aging well is an ambiguous term at best; yet it does have meaning, especially to anyone aged 60 and above. It’s about looking for and finding happiness through years that will surely bring loss and sorrow; it’s about change and taking on new challenges; and it’s about holding on to the best of the past, living in the present and anticipating the future with courage and wisdom. The first installment of WELL INTO YOUR FUTURE, “Maintaining Mental Health,” tells the stories of men and women who have navigated through momentous life changes successfully, including 84-year-old Seymour Greene, an accountant and professional trombone player; 81-year-old Annie McElrath, a retired teacher; 80-year-old Catherine Tseng, a leader in community affairs; 81-year-old Jean Bryant, a volunteer elementary school tutor; and Ermel and Cecilia Benalcazar, a half-retired, busier-than-ever couple entering their 60s. Through their personal stories, and through insights and commentary from aging experts and health care professionals, including Dr. Robert Kahn, Ph.D., co-author of the best-selling book Successful Aging and co-director of the landmark MacArthur Foundation study on aging in America, “Maintaining Mental Health” offers principles key to staying mentally healthy as we age, and frames mental wellness as a gateway to successful aging. We learn practical ways to adjust to retirement and the freedom from daily work routines; to stay socially engaged and connected to friends and family; to cope with grief, loss and change; to stay physically healthy; and to allow personal growth and creativity to rejuvenate our spirit.

The second part of the series, “Alzheimer’s and Dementia,” addresses the staggering demands of Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia on family caregivers, as well as their potential negative impact on caregivers’ mental health. There are an estimated four million people with Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia in the U.S., with 360,000 new cases diagnosed each year. The impact of dementia at least doubles if you include its indirect victims — the spouses, adult children and other family members who are caregivers, and whose commitment to care for their loved ones typically leaves them exhausted and financially depleted during and after the disease runs its course. The program presents examples of caregivers who have found ways to cope effectively with the stresses and demands of caregiving, and to restore equilibrium to their own lives, including Emerson, who is slowly becoming a parent to his spouse, Pat, 58 and in the early stage of Alzheimer’s; Mary and her husband, Arthur, who care for Mary’s mother, Mary, 82 and in a pronounced stage of dementia, while balancing Arthur own chronic illness; and Lupe and her husband, Randy, who opened their home to Lupe’s mother, Victoria, 70, when she could no longer care for herself. Emerson, Mary and Arthur and Lupe and Randy have learned the skills of caregiving day-to-day as.

Alzheimer’s and dementia follow a relentless course of unpredictable and at times baffling behavior. They have also learned the most important lesson - to keep themselves mentally and physically healthy so that they are able to respond to the ever-increasing demands of caregiving.

According to the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, between one-sixth and one-third of Americans over the age of 65 suffer clinically significant symptoms of depression, many of whom never seek help because they are unaware of depression symptoms and treatments, or are fearful of the stigma associated with anything resembling mental illness. Abuse of alcohol and prescription medications is a frequent companion to depression among seniors. The final installment of WELL INTO YOUR FUTURE, “Depression, Not a Normal Part of Aging,” examines stories of older adults diagnosed later in life and successfully treated for depression. We meet Susan, who became isolated and hopeless when she tried to take on all the responsibility of caring for her husband, Walter, as Alzheimer’s gradually took hold; Oscar, a once active member of his community, whose accumulation of losses - the death of his wife, retirement, a later divorce and diagnosis of a chronic illness - made it almost impossible to get out of bed in the morning; and Bruce, who, after caring for his terminally ill wife, turned to alcohol when living alone and grieving became too overwhelming. By seeking treatment and support through therapy, anti-depression medication, support groups and recovery programs, Susan, Oscar and Bruce realized that their lives did not have to continue on a course set by depression. Their stories dispel the myth that there is something inherently depressing about aging, and explore the complex relationship between depression, alcohol and substance abuse. “ Depression, Not a Normal Part of Aging ” offers family members clear signs to help them understand when a family elder may be in need of help, as well as way to identify symptoms and encourage family support and early treatment.

WELL INTO YOUR FUTURE: MENTAL HEALTH AND AGING, in its three parts, seeks to educate baby boomers, older adults and their caregivers on important mental health issues by providing needed how-to information on maintaining good mental health throughout the aging process; specific information on depression, dementia, and substance abuse; treatment options; and caregiver interventions. The people featured in WELL INTO YOUR FUTURE: MENTAL HEALTH AND AGING are extraordinary, but also very much like you and me. We all have the ability to maintain mental health as we grow older, cope with the demands of Alzheimer’s and dementia and overcome depression and substance abuse. The power is in our hands, the key is to use it.

WELL INTO YOUR FUTURE: MENTAL HEALTH AND AGING is produced by State of the Art, Inc., and distributed by American Public Television. Produced, directed and written by Grady Watts and executive produced by Gerardine Wurzburg, WELL INTO YOUR FUTURE is a presentation of WellMe, the health resources of State of the Art. Production funding was provided by the National Institute of Mental Health, with the broadcast of the series being underwritten by Janssen Pharmaceutica, Inc.

State of the Art, Inc. is a Washington, DC-based, Academy Award®-winning multi-media communications company that creates products for ordinary people facing health and educational challenges. For over two decades, State of the Art has created successful Public Television programs, including “Positively: The Changing Face of AIDS in America,” “Prostate Cancer: Are You at Risk?” and “Caregivers: The Heart of Home Care,” that use real people and compelling stories to make complicated issues understandable. WellMe, a division of State of the Art, creates and markets health communications resources that advance the goals of health organizations, corporations and the people they serve.

For over 40 years, American Public Television (APT) has been a major source of programming for the nation’s Public Television stations. APT has more than 10,000 hours of available programming including “Discovering the Real World of Harry Potter,” “Globe Trekker,” “Muhammad Ali: Through the Eyes of the World,” “Nightly Business Report,” “Rick Steves’ Europe,” “Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home,” “Ballykissangel” and “The Three Tenors Christmas.” APT is known for identifying innovative programs and developing creative distribution techniques for producers. In four decades, it has established a tradition of providing Public Television stations nationwide with program choices that enable them to strengthen and customize their schedules. For more information about APT’s programs and services, log on to www.aptonline.org.

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PRESS CONTACT:
Gerardine Wurzburg
President

Visit the website at: http://www.wellintoyourfuture.com