Searching for rest in one's soul: the experience of mental health complaints in older Moroccan immigrants]
Author: de Vries WM, Smits CH.
Source:
Tijdschrift voor gerontologie en geriatrie, 36(5), 194-202.
The number of Moroccan elderly in the Netherlands is growing. Although many have
mental health problems, the mental health services have difficulties in reaching
them. This study reports on the experience of mental health problems of elderly
Moroccan migrants, their search for help and their view on the role of the mental
health services. Twenty-two Moroccan elderly (11 men, 11 women) aged 55-75 were
interviewed with a semi-structured questionnaire. From the interviews and
observations it appeared that these elderly experience their health as bad. When
asked, they deny mental health problems. Stress and dejection are not experienced
as relating to mental health but as part of life associated with ageing, living
in a foreign country, having physical, social and financial problems. The elderly
feel that God sets them these tasks to overcome by themselves. Achieving rest in
one's soul is central in this process. There is a taboo on serious mental health
problems and people are ashamed of them. Only people who neglect religious
prescriptions can to be affected by mental health problems. The elderly Moroccans
hardly consult mental health services for these problems because then it would
become clear that they cannot overcome their problems by themselves. Furthermore,
the mental health services are unknown. Therefore, those services have to pay
attention to the specific experience of mental complaints of elderly Moroccans.
By offering psycho-education the mental health services may come within reach of
those elderly.
Publication Types:
English Abstract