People in their 70s and 80s suffer from severe depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety and other mental health problems, sometimes brought on by life's changes.

In the past, Lancaster Regional Medical Center has treated these older adults in its mental health unit. But it began to think that these folks needed their own place to come for stabilization and treatment.

Monday, it opened a 10-bed mental health unit just for older adults at the College Avenue hospital.

VIDEO: Danielle Gilmore describes the new mental health unit

The unit reflects a national trend, as the baby-boomer population ages and the distinct health needs of older adults become apparent.

Regional officials say they saw the need for the mental health unit for several reasons.

"We would get a referral for an 80-, 85-year-old, maybe a little bit more on the frail side," said Danielle Gilmore of Regional's Behavioral Health department. "We were not comfortable with some of those referrals, placing them on our regular adult unit … next to a relatively aggressive younger adult."

Also, older adults have a different mental health dynamic. They most commonly suffer from depression, more than other mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia.

The risk of depression rises among those who suffer from other illnesses or have a decreased ability to function, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. About 6 percent of older adults suffer from major depression, but that number almost doubles in older adults who are hospitalized.

The risk of suicide also increases with age. Though they made up only 12 percent of the population, older adults accounted for 16 percent of suicide deaths in 2004, according to the Institute. White men age 85 and older have the highest rate of suicide, more than four times the rate in the general population.

Older adults also might have an underlying condition such as dementia or Alzheimer's disease. And they also might have medical conditions such as heart disease or high blood pressure.

The 10-bed unit at Regional is set up to better physically accommodate older adults. The unit has minimal furniture and open walkways, so it's easy to get around and the risk of tripping and falling is diminished.

Also, its treatment will be specifically geared to older adults. For example, the unit may offer group therapy for depression at the holidays, as older adults struggle with their decreasing abilities to do things such as prepare meals, host events or travel. Other topics for group therapy may include the loss of a spouse or a major depression that sometimes occurs after retirement or a major illness.

"They're just in a completely different stage in their lives, so you need to communicate with them differently," said Gilmore, who is community education manager for behavioral health. "You need to realize they have a different set of needs, a different set of expectations — and keep in mind where they are at this stage in their lives."

Some of the older adults who will come to the unit might have been struggling with mental health issues for some time.

"There's a stigma with older adults as far as mental illness goes," Gilmore said. "It's often seen as a character flaw or a weakness … something they can get over.

"That's largely because of the way they were brought up, the generation in which they were growing up."

Regional's older-adult unit, which joins a 29-bed unit for younger adults, is part of a regional and national trend.

Brandywine Hospital in Coatesville just opened a 64-bed mental health unit, in a new building attached to the main hospital, with a 16-bed area for older adults.

Other hospitals across the country also are dedicating services and units to older adults, said Kathleen McCann, director of clinical and regulatory affairs for the National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems in Washington, D.C.

With the closing of state hospitals and institutions over the years, more people with mental illness live in the community. They are aging and need treatment, McCann said. "I think that whole trend to try to meet specialized needs is really an important and growing trend," she said.

cstauffer@lnpnews.com