Is it normal for people to appear to become almost sociopathic in old age?

I think as people age, they lose a lot of their mental capabilities whether through dementia or Alzheimer’s or even just from being over medicated.
I had noticed as my grandmother and mother were getting older (years ago), they would say things that were just outright mean that they would never have said when they were younger.
I think you need to be forgiving when you can, and step away when it becomes too much.
Welcome to Fluther!

I think that they learn not to care and when to pick battles.

If it’s extreme it is probably some form of dementia as @chyna says. Try to ignore it and not engage if you can. If it’s from someone you have to care for, see if you can pass some of the tasks off to someone else. If it becomes physical, they may have to be in some form of care. Protect yourself.

Given that most adolescents go through a sociopathic period, it isn’t surprising that younger people view seniors as treating them in the same manner.

I hate to say this but… People like to view the elderly through a soft lens. Yes it could be dementia/old age crabbiness but it can also be they are just letting their true selves out. Could be they’re tired of putting up a facade and they don’t give a shit anymore or they’re just not able to keep up appearances as they age. Psycho/sociopaths get old too. They’re about 1 in 20.

I think as some people age they tend to have more health issues and maybe tend to not care as much or see little hope for much of a future. They are feeling like “what’s the point in going on?” so they become more apathetic and take more risk and do more dangerous things.

It’s possible that these individuals were never nice people, and now they’re just old too.

Do you treat them with respect or do you treat them like they are invisible??? Growing old in the US is worse than committing a crime. Suddenly you have NO value. People look through you instead of looking at you!!! Yes, some of them get cranky, but I feel that calling them a sociopath is a bit harsh. They don’t wish you dead…they just want to be acknowledged as human!!! People tend to stop asking them what they need…and start telling them what is going to happen. If they object, they are accused of being uncooperative. Maybe yours are just getting old & cranky…OR…maybe they have a reason to be cranky!!!

Maybe the next time they make you feel like they want you to die, you should stop & ask them if that’s what they are thinking. You might be surprised by their response!!!

I hope I didn’t offend anyone, I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry if I did please forgive me.

You didn’t.

@RayaHope I think your answer is good and accurate. Yes I notice personally with the ones I’ve interacted with that they can develop a very cynical attitude to everything which seems to be out of a sense of lost hope maybe. I didn’t mean to start a hurtful discussion but honestly and sincerely, the harm that topic causes, how they hurt people, is real and worth talking about. As I speak I am holding my composure because one of them is in a bad mood and every time they open their mouth they say something that is designed in a subtle way to poke at my flaws. Yet everytime I confront them they turn it around and make it like I’m abusing them. Its gotten to the point that when I am around them I can’t open my mouth or do anything because they perceive everything I say and do as a retaliation to their offensive and hostile words. It’s absolute insanity and I can’t do or say anything about it because they are old and have health problems. Literally every time I confront them they play victim and cite health problems and how stress can harm them but I swear on the only thing I have which is my word that they revel with an actual grin and sometimes chuckle at my torment. Not one but multiple individuals. I don’t know who flagged you but your answer shouldn’t have been flagged.

I think it is a manifestation of their existence as they get older. Their family has grown, the feeling of being needed is different, they are retired, they do not have the friend structure they once had, their health starts to waiver, their interests have lost the spark. They downsize and move out of their long lived in home. Their mind isn’t as quick and bright as it once was. They wake and see the world different.
This in addition to people their age dying, they do start to reflect on their own mortality more. This would make for a person to seemingly have some disregard for other people which falls into the definition of sociopathic. I however do not think they would be diagnosed as ASPD. Most elders still have a conscience.
I see some of this in my Mother who is near 90 and has finally moved into Independent Care Facility. Covid took her friends. Covid took her ability to socialize. She is a bit more apathetic.
Elderly do see to answer in a quip-like fashion. Yet if you take the time to engage them, they burst at the seams of spinning yarns. I think you just have to take the time to scratch more than the surface.

@wearemiracles Thank you so very much for your kind words and I enjoy your thoughts. I think our little fluther community should be honored to have you as a member. I may be very young but I can tell you are very scholarly in many subjects and I believe if given enough time I could learn a lot from you. Perhaps we all could. I do hope you stay around a long time so we can get to know you a bit better. :)