Don’t Forget About Me, Aging In America With Schizophrenia
Margo Ramirez | NJ, United States
Photographer: Margo Ramirez
Exhibit Title: Don’t Forget About Me, Aging In America With Schizophrenia
Location: NJ, United States
The photo series "Don't Forget About Me, Aging in America with Schizophrenia" offers a glimpse into the life of Alberto, a senior living with the mental disorder schizophrenia. Alberto's story helps shed light on the often overlooked issue of aging with a mental illness. The images reveal the complexities of find appropriate care and support in a flawed system.
Alberto has lived with schizophrenia for decades and was under the loving care of his mother until her passing in 2022. Since then he has been thrusted into a system that makes it nearly impossible to provide adequate care. Although there has been many challenges Alberto is one of the fortunate ones as he has a family that has vowed to work tiredlessly in providing the best care even though they have consistently been met with bureaucratic obstacles.
In conclusion, this series is a powerful and thought provoking exhibit that humanizes a population that is often stigmatized and forgotten.
Many nursing homes and assisted living facilities are not equiiped to provide the neccessary care for individuals living with severe mental illness such as schizophrenia. As a result these individuals are often placed in general facilities or grouped into into memory care even though these illness are unrelated. The lack of facilities that can accomodate menally ill patients are less than a handful in the state of NJ and very costly, limiting the options for proper care.
Individuals aging with severe mental disease also face challenges in accessing appropriate care. The lack of advocacy can result in neglect, or becoming marginalized within the healthcare system which can result in worsening of their mental status and physical health.
In conclusion the current options for aging with schizophrenia in America are limited, and there is a need for greater awareness and advocacy to improve the level of care and assistance offered to the patient and their familes.
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