FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - According to the American Psychological Association, one in four adults 65 and older experience a mental health problem like depression, anxiety or dementia. That's why one local organization is providing resources to help Valley seniors improve their emotional, psychological and social well-being as they age. Sometimes life changes can simply be overwhelming. Click here for more MedWatch Today Click here for Community Medical Centers' homepage “As you get older, things change, life changes. So, for example, you were raising children, they were in the home. Now, they are gone. They have their own family. A lot of these people are dealing with loss of a loved one. They are grieving and they don’t know how to grieve properly; and then there are also chronic illnesses that come with age,” said Doctor Carissa Wilkins, internal medicine, Community Primary Care. In fact, Wilkins says that mental health problems are common among senior citizens. “A lot of these people are by themselves. They are isolated and lonely, and those are allrisk factors for depression, anxiety and just not being able to notice health issues goingon within yourself,” she said. Staying mentally and physically active is important to prevent cognitive and physical decline, especially for senior citizens. The Fresno Center Adult Day Health-Care Center or ADHC is a community-based adult services program designed to reduce isolation, improve health and prevent the decline in independent abilities. “We saw the needs for older adults, who have cognitive impairment with behavioral problems,” said Teng Vang the program director at the Center. The programs are developed to serve adults 18 years or older who have a chronic medical illness, cognitive decline and/or mental health conditions and provide transportation to and from so families don’t have to worry. “We realize that there are caregivers in our community, people that love their family very much and want to have a normal life, but because of the disability someone might have, they are altered and maybe they have to give up income, stay at home and be a care provider. This way, having a center like this is a safe place they can send their loved one to, make sure they are safe, well-fed, nourished and taken care of so they can go on to work and live a fairly normal life,” said Cheri Cruz, director of public relations and community relations at the Fresno Center. It’s important for families to recognize changes in their loved ones as they age and to open the dialogue to discuss their mental well-being. Cruz offers a quick checklist of potential warning signs. “If they are sleeping more during the day and they are up all night. That’s a red flag to me. If they have kind of isolated themselves, that’s another important thing. So if they are not wanting to socialize or get around with other people or do things that they used to love to do. Those are all kinds of red flags that would trigger me to ask further questions,” she said.