Healthy ageing – mental health

Order Description
Life Story Analysis
Through the stories of older individuals, we learn how to understand the often-complex presentations and approaches to supporting good mental health in the older
population. �For this assessment you are provided with the life story of Mrs T. �
Using the literature (theoretical analysis/research evidence) to support your interpretations, provide your critical reflections on the life story of Mrs T. and what
it might tell us about the mental health of this older person. �
Assessment Hints:

You need to examine the story of Mrs T and consider what factors, at different stages of her life course, might be impacting on her mental health.
This is NOT about making any kind of diagnosis for Mrs T on the basis of what is contained in the life story. However, her symptoms may be representative of issues
that could indicate particular mental disorders that, as described in the literature may suggest ‘influencers’ and outcomes experienced by Mrs T.
This is also NOT about suggesting treatment or what might have happened if Mrs T. had been provided with diagnosis and treatment or support to maintain good mental
health. �The story of Mrs T. presents the life of this woman from birth to death so no amount of speculation on what could have happened will change the outcome. �YOUR
SOLE OBLIGATION in this assessment is to use what you have learned in this topic and through your readings in preparation for this assessment to explore the mental
health of Mrs T. over her life course.�
You should be utilizing a single perspective for your theoretical analysis (so while the life course perspective is the obvious choice, it does not mean that you have
to select it – other perspectives can been applied) – but other key concepts in gerontological or psychological literature may be useful to consider as you examine
this life story and make sense of the mental health of Mrs T. ��
The story of Mrs T.

Mrs T was born and raised in a large city, with all the benefits of her parent�s upper class position. Her mother was concerned with the social aspects of such a
position and began schooling Mrs T in the finer points of etiquette at an early age. Her father, a strong disciplinarian, concerned himself with the safety and well-
being of the family. He obtained the services of a private tutor for his daughter and required Mrs T to have a chaperone at all times when not attended by her parents.
Mrs T developed a strong rapport with her father. She attended concerts, plays and other events with her father on a regular basis from the age of six.
Mrs T travelled extensively with her family throughout her childhood. The first time she as separated from her parents was when she attended an exclusive finishing
school in Europe (during the 1920�s). She came back from Europe and made her �debut� � she was presented to the elite society as was the custom.� Her father�s
encouragement prompted Mrs T to attend university at a time when it was rare to find even upper class women enrolled in post-secondary education. Her father still
insisted she have a chaperone when travelling back and forth to school. She obtained a Batchelor of Science degree, specialising in nutrition, in 1934 at age 26.
Upon graduation, she accepted a position as head dietitian of a large hospital. The job did not meet her father�s approval and at his insistence she took a similar
position with a very prestigious facility in which she met many famous, well to do people. She worked with some of the finest chefs from around the world. One year
after taking the position, at the age of 27, she married a wealthy business man with a family background comparable to her own. Even though he was divorced and
somewhat older, her father approved of the union. Her father died suddenly one year after her marriage.
Mrs T and her husband resided in New York for the first few months of their marriage. Although she was raised within the limits of a large city, her parents home was
located on a large piece o9f property that ensured privacy. She found apartment living undesirable and within six months Mrs T and her husband purchased an estate
within commuting distance of New York. Although she liked to be independent, she enjoyed being a �corporate wife�.
Once settled at the estate, she cultivated a vegetable garden and established a flourishing poultry business.� Mr and Mrs T decided not to have children because their
business interests took too much of their time. Mrs T has said that she feels fulfilled and content with her business and taking care of her husband. She belonged to
various cultural and community organisations and did volunteer work as a nutritionist for various institutions. She planned her activities to coordinate with her
husband�s business requirements.
They moved several times over the years, developing a social support network comprised of a very small circle of close friends. Mrs T developed one close friendship in
each location. However, they entertained frequently for business purposes. Most of the social events attended also revolved around her husband�s corporate
responsibilities. Mrs T, as wife of the president of the company was responsible� for planning and executing such events. Extensive travelling was also part of business
and at such times Mrs T would accompany her husband and take charge of all social events during the trip. When her husband had to retire because of a heart attack in
1966, little change occurred in lifestyle. Mrs T continued with her own business ventures and together they developed a small business in conjunction with his
expertise. Although the pace was less demanding because they were no longer part of a large corporation, they still maintained ties with the business community.
Business acquaintances still dominated Mrs T�s social life.
Mrs T�s husband had a second heart attack in 1968 and died. She had difficulty adjusting to widowhood. She terminated her poultry business and sold her shares in other
business interests shortly after her husband�s death. For two years she turned down invitations to social events that had always been part of her married life. Although
she still maintained contact with her small circle of close friends, her beliefs with regard to �proper etiquette� allowed her to only accept invitations to informal
luncheons and other casual gatherings. She felt uncomfortable with the social situation and when her mother became ill , she made a permanent� move from the United
States to Canada in 1970, at the age of 62. Three months later, Mrs T�s mother died.
Mrs T�s vision began to deteriorate, her hair started to turn grey and she had a bout with skin cancer that, after treatment, was slow to heal. It was at this time that
she was diagnosed with having high blood pressure. In 1974 she fell over a newspaper binder-wrap and broke her arm. Complications required the arm to be broken again
and reset and Mrs T demanded another doctor. Several weeks later she enlisted the help of her lawyer to extract assurances that binder-wraps would be disposed of
properly from both the newspaper and the delivery person responsible. She found her neighbours relatively uninterested when she canvassed them to sign a petition to
voice dissatisfaction with the newspaper. She had several altercations with neighbours over the next few months. Her neighbour�s cars, lawnmowers and animals were all
topics of dispute.
In 1975, friends that were visiting for the weekend, as was their monthly custom, suggested she relocate to a senior citizen�s apartment when she mentioned selling her
house and buying another. She became very upset by their suggestion and accused them of trying to �get her stuff and steal her money�. She requested they leave
immediately. Although she had known them for many years, she never spoke to them again. Over the next several months she became extremely suspicious of neighbours. She
began carrying a police whistle around her neck to blow into the telephone if she didn�t recognise the voice of the person calling.
Several months later she bought a house in an exclusive area on the other side of the city. She immediately had major renovations done that provoked a dispute with her
neighbours. However, she was happy in her new home and she became well-known in the neighbourhood as she walked her dog twice a day. She ignored her next door
neighbours with whom she had argued.
Fourteen months later she began to display signs of increasing paranoia. She took offence at neighbour�s suggestions that she should not work so hard around the house
and soon after became extremely suspicious, taking down the licence plate numbers of cars belonging to people visiting her next door neighbours. She complained about
people tampering with her electricity and substituted 25 watt bulbs throughout the house. She accused her next door neighbour of causing her house to be infested with
carpenter ants. Shortly afterward she had the house fumigated and she complained of being drugged through the furnace. She also complained that being drugged through
the furnace caused her hair to turn white overnight. She became increasingly disturbed about her next door neighbour�s right of way over five feet from her property.
The property line ran down the middle of the neighbour�s driveway.�
In 1978 she had a major dispute with these neighbours brought about by her actions. She recognised people entering the neighbour�s house one morning that she had known
in her previous neighbourhood. She accuses her neighbours as being part of a plot �to get her�. When they had a new surface put on their driveway the next day, Mrs T
accused them of trying to steal her property. The next morning she painted a white line down the middle of the newly surfaced driveway with oil-based paint and then
knocked on their door to draw their attention to it. She informed them that the property line was now indisputable. When the police were called Mrs T refused to speak
with them except to tell them she wanted her lawyer. No charges were laid but Mrs T, on her lawyers advice, paid to have the damage repaired. She was very distraught
for several weeks.
When she began experiencing �heart palpitations�, she agreed to see a physician recommended by a trusted friend. She told him of all her troubles and described �the
conspiracy� she believed existed in detail. She also described how she was being drugged through the furnace and that someone was tampering with her hydro. She was
pleased with the general practitioner who prescribed medication to lower her elevated blood pressure. Mrs T promised the GP that she would return every week to have
her blood pressure checked and �to chat�.� She said she felt protected from �the conspirators�.� In a couple of weeks all signs of paranoia and other symptoms had
disappeared. Ten months later Mrs T�s relocation to another city forced her termination of the visits to her trusted GP.
She moved to a less prestigious neighbourhood located on a main road to the city. She remained symptom free for over two years. In 1981 her dog died and she acquired
another dog that barked a lot. Some of her neighbours complained and she attempted to keep the dog quiet. Several months later, four young men moved in next door to
Mrs T. Within the month, Mrs T became agitated because of the noisy cars and the late hours kept by her new neighbours.� She began letting her dog out early in the
morning to aggravate them. When other neighbours complained, she accused them of being part of a �plot�. Over the next few months the situation escalated.
In 1982, at the age of 73, Mrs T. took her first plane ride to visit an old friend in the United States. She was very nervous about the trip. However, upon her arrival
at her destination she was quite relaxed. The house in which she was staying� was well fortified because her friend was the tax collector and had a large bank safe in
the basement. It had been nearly 20 years since Mrs T. had visited and she was unaccustomed to the added security measures. Within a couple of days she had become
suspicious of the police cares patrolling on a regular basis.� One night, she decided to have some warm milk to help her sleep. When she went downstairs at 1:30am, she
inadvertently set off a silent alarm. Several minutes later she found herself cornered the kitchen by armed police officers. Within days Mrs T. was accusing her friend
of being part of a �plot�. The situation prompted her friend to ask Mrs T. to leave and she returned to Canada the next day.
When she returned, the building of delusional sets was increasing. She was suspicious of neighbours, salespeople, bank clerks (and managers) and strangers. When she
went out in her car, she had a pad and pencil to copy down licence plate numbers of people she felt were part of the �conspiracy�. When winter came she refused to keep
the furnace on. She complained that the �drugs� were making the dog �crazy�.
One day, she called the police and demanded that they get her some groceries because she was being followed everywhere and was afraid to go out. They dispatched a car
to investigate. On arriving, the police officers were greeted by Mrs T. wearing a WWII gas mask. She wore it when the furnace was running. The officers tried to
explain that they could not get her groceries and offered to put her in touch with Social Services for assistance. She became belligerent and they asked if there was
someone they could call. A young friend was called� by the police, who found Mrs T in an agitated state when she arrived.� Mrs T. agreed to go to hospital for a check-
up because she wanted to �prove she was being drugged through the furnace�.
The emergency room physician listened patiently as she explained how she was being �manipulated by them all�. She told him about being drugged through the furnace,
being followed, manipulation of the electricity in her house and her mail, being tampered with. Mrs T. was satisfied with the ED doctors’ decision to call, a
specialist. Mrs T�s� pleasure in seeing a specialist quickly diminished shortly after his arrival. He introduced himself and Mrs T immediately requested that her young
friend not leave her side. Mrs T. became quite agitated after several sharp questions. The psychiatrist suggested that she stay on� his ward � for a few days. Mrs T.
became defensive and questioned the psychiatrist about �his ward� and his medical practice. When he told her that he was a psychiatrist, she became belligerent and made
derogatory remarks in reference to his name, which was of Jewish origin, and stormed out of the hospital.
Two months later Mrs T. went on vacation with her young friend. After the vacation Mrs T. appeared more relaxed and had discarded the gas mask and resumed relatively
normal daily activities. Mrs T. continued being relatively stable until the latter part of 1984. Mrs T�s young friend had to relocated for several months early in 1984.
Several months later, when her young friend returned, Mrs T, now at the age of 77, had begun to display a pattern of bizarre thought and behaviour, similar to previous
episodes. She wore different coloured shoes out in public and resumed taking down license plate numbers. Mrs T. provoked several altercations in restaurants and
stores. Feeling of persecution escalated and after several months she stopped going out at all unless it was absolutely necessary.
She sold her house suddenly in 1986 and found it impossible to find another house to buy so quickly. In the two years following, she rented three different houses.
With each one she continued to have problems with neighbours. She has been to court four times within several months because of neighbours� complaints about the
excessive barking of her dog. Her vision was rapidly deteriorating due to cataracts.� Since the sale of her house she has been spending large amounts of money. She had
major work done at the house she rents at her own expense. She bought major items including a dining room suite, living room suite, snow blower, lawn mower and
thousands of dollars of carpet. All the household items remain in her basement unused as they are duplicates of items, in good working order that she already owned.
She continued to experience delusions and auditory hallucinations sporadically. �A few months later, the neighbours called the policy because they noticed that neither
Mrs T. nor the dog had been seen for several days and they heard the dog barking in the house. �She was found by police, unconscious at her dining table with the dog
laying beside her feet. � Mrs T. had a stroke and never regained consciousness. �