Analysis of 86 cases of age-related psychological characteristics of psychiatric patients and nursing care: Some voices whisper that they think healthcare professionals are talking about them, suspecting their condition is worsening. This preoccupation can lead to trouble, affecting drug treatment and producing psychological stress. In elderly patients with psychosis, stubborn resistance is often encountered, usually due to a lack of confidence in their own illness or certain aspects of treatment, showing non-response and resistance behavior towards the outside world.
2.4 Most elderly people suffering from psychosis experience nostalgia for loved ones, especially pregnant loved ones. Due to physical limitations, psychological emptiness, and restricted access to the outside world, their space and ability to engage with new things have decreased. They often reminisce about their children, youth, and beautiful stories of significant or minor events that happened in the past. In this special environment, opportunities to meet with friends and family are restricted, or good friends come back every few days but not as frequently as before. Patients show restlessness and abnormal irritability; the most obvious sign is going to the door every day at 1:30 PM to look around or asking the nurse.
2.5 In terms of ideology, physicality, behavior, and laziness, degenerative changes occur in the elderly mentally ill. Simultaneously, they easily develop strong psychological dependence on others, specifically needing comfort, sympathy, and understanding from others to gain psychological satisfaction.
3 Nursing Care for Patients:
3.1 Fully understand and respect patients from the moment of admission. Maintain a good attitude to win their trust and introduce yourself in detail and carefully. Announce general ward settings and hospital rules and regulations to the patient upon entering the ward. Introduce the room and make the patient recognize our emphasis on him. Proactively talk to the patient to learn more about their personality traits, hobbies, habits, family relationships, social range, past and current mental states, providing targeted psychological care so that patients feel respected, reducing feelings of loss and loneliness, eliminating fear and other negative psychological tensions, thus feeling at ease with treatment. In short, nurses should groom themselves and maintain an enthusiastic attitude, making patients feel friendly, warm, and happy, gaining the patient's trust and dependence, allowing acceptance of medical drug treatment and laying a good foundation for psychological care.
3.2 Give positive psychological implications through healthcare words, which often directly affect the behavior and mental changes of patients, particularly elderly mental patients who are more suggestible. Identify psychological changes in patients and provide positive psychological suggestions. Treat the patient positively and optimistically, enlightening them by explaining the disease in detail and encouraging participation in collective life and simple labor operations to hone their physical and mental well-being. Avoid adverse predictions and poor treatment language when conversing with patients to prevent leaving a bad impact and mental stimulation. Rightfully guide the patient to cultivate good psychological quality. As Marx said, harmony and bright feelings are the key to psychological care. For patients refusing medication due to disbelief in being disease-free, persuade and counsel them in a cordial and friendly atmosphere to help dispel worry and anxiety. For patients suspicious of toxic food, invite them to participate in meal preparation and food distribution, allowing them to arbitrarily select food to eliminate stubborn psychological concerns.
3.3 Conduct cultural activities to enhance functional exercise based on the patient’s actual situation. Properly organize recreational activities such as chess, table tennis, regular TV broadcasts, listening to music, and other practical activities to regulate life, cultivate taste, enrich inner life, and broaden active thinking. Regularly and orderly arrange meetings between families and patients to avoid less than yesterday, bursts, etc., so as not to irritate cranky patients.
4 Experience: Observing and caring for 86 elderly mentally ill patients, we understand that the psychological characteristics of elderly psychiatric patients have particularities. The key to success lies in providing careful, comprehensive, and in-depth psychological care based on age-related psychological characteristics of mental illness. Nurses must possess a strong sense of professionalism and responsibility, enhance self-psychological adjustment, possess extensive knowledge, and broaden their horizons to meet various patient needs [2]. Only by understanding the psychological characteristics of patients and implementing the best and most effective psychological care measures to influence the patient’s mental activity can we help the patient recover.