How To Help Seniors Stave Off Depression
Seniors Helping Seniors In-Home Care Services can help seniors who are feeling depressed because they are lonely or grief-stricken over the loss of a close friend or the limitations they might feel due to their own infirmity. Some medical issues can also put seniors into this type of mindset as well.
Old age sometimes comes with a feeling of isolation which can trigger sadness and melancholy reflection and it’s these emotional shifts that can lead to depression in seniors who believe that they have no other recourse but to remain in their current unsatisfying or even painful situation.
But loneliness doesn’t have to be a component of any senior’s daily life, there are ways to help them avoid these feelings so they can live happier lives. Healthy aging is about understanding the conditions that seniors can sometimes face that might have a negative affect on their overall well-being. It’s up to family members and loved ones to get involved with seniors who are at risk of falling into a depressed state.
Most seniors won’t come out and tell you about their feelings either, so it’s up to caregivers and relatives to look for the telltale signs and take action to help. Here are some of the ways to do that:
Socialization
When you are all by yourself it can sometimes trigger feelings of sadness and loneliness that may be very tough to overcome for seniors. So it’s a good idea to encourage them to make plans with friends and loved ones. You can even arrange to spend some time with them, either at their home or somewhere they enjoy going but aren’t always able to get there.
Group interactions can be very effective in brightening up a senior’s outlook on their life. So get them involved with a class or a club of some kind. Anything that will keep them from being isolated from the outside world around them.
Keeping Active
Routine activity and exercise is one of the best solutions for fighting off the feelings of depression that seniors can experience. Physical activity isn’t just good for keeping the body healthy, it’s also a terrific way to keep the mind sharp and your senior’s overall mood upbeat and positive. That’s mainly due to the release of serotonin that can come from a good workout.
But seniors need to be careful about overdoing it, your senior’s doctor can recommend some low impact workout options that can be helpful for getting the spirits up without the risk of injury.
A Sense of Meaning and Purpose
Sometimes a senior can feel depressed because they believe there’s no longer any real purpose or direction in their life. That’s why you should try to give them a task or some kind of routine to be a part of that can help to improve their outlook. Maybe have them volunteer at a soup kitchen or a local animal shelter.
When they see the difference they are making in someone else’s life, that can be a powerful motivator for keeping in good spirits.
