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Tag: Mental Health

Is Your Senior Mom Depressed?

Posted on by Craig Bass

When your elderly mom chooses to age in place alone, you may worry about the potential for loneliness, depression, and about her overall quality of life. This can be a challenging idea to accept, but if you’re worried about your mom or dad, you should talk to them about hiring companion care at home. These are professionals who can not only provide much-needed companionship, but they can help your loved one with daily chores and boost their quality of life. They may even help keep an eye on things like sadness and depression. So, what are some signs that your elderly mom is depressed? Here are some things to look for.

Sadness and Anxiousness

Here is the thing: your loved one can have brief feelings of sadness or bouts of anxiousness, and it may not be depression. However, if your loved one is experiencing sadness for weeks on end or even months, it can be a sign that something is deeply wrong. If your loved one has only been sad for a week, it may not be anything to worry about, but it is something to watch. If you are not always with your senior mom or can’t visit often, ask companion care at home to keep an eye on how sad your mom is. This will help you understand how long it’s been going on and whether it’s more than sadness.

Loss of Interest

Seniors should have hobbies no matter how old they are. Maybe it’s reading or journaling, painting, or going to museums. It doesn’t matter what they choose to do as long as they have something that makes them happy and something they look forward to doing. However, one of the biggest signs of depression is loss of interest in these activities. Your loved one may go out every week, and if they suddenly stop or hate the things they love, it can be a bad sign. Unfortunately, without living with your loved one, you may never know if they stop doing the things they love. This is something that companion care at home can help with.

Lack of Appetite

Your seniors should be eating regularly, and they should be eating a well-rounded diet. Your loved one should eat fresh food and vegetables and cook as much as possible at home. If your senior is lacking appetite or can’t seem to eat anything at all, this is another sign your senior mom is depressed. Companion care at home can help encourage healthy eating during a time when they may feel too sad to eat.

Less Sleep

One other big thing to look for is a change in sleeping. They may not be able to get to sleep because they are sad and anxious, or they may not be able to sleep for the same reasons. If your senior is lacking sleep, it can impact them in drastic ways, but it is also a sign of depression. Hopefully, by keeping a regular routine, they will be able to sleep well, but if it suddenly changes, it is time to encourage them to go to the doctor.

If you are considering companion care at home in Las Vegas, NV for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

Can Companion Care at Home Help Seniors Reduce Stress?

Posted on by Craig Bass
Companion Care at Home in Henderson NV
Companion Care at Home in Henderson NV

Stress management is an essential aspect of maintaining good health and well-being, especially for seniors. Chronic stress can exacerbate existing health conditions, contribute to cognitive decline, and negatively impact overall quality of life. Companion care at home can play a vital role in helping seniors manage stress through various approaches, such as sharing relaxation techniques with them, reminding them about mindfulness exercises, and helping with social engagement. These are activities that family caregivers might have a tough time helping their seniors to master, but home care providers focusing on socialization and stress reduction can cover a lot of ground.

Using Relaxation Techniques

One of the most effective ways to manage stress is through relaxation techniques that help calm the mind and body. Seniors may not feel as if some of these techniques will really work for them but giving them an honest try can help significantly. Some of these techniques can have physical, real effects like lowering blood pressure and reducing muscle tension. Techniques like deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and even guided imagery are ones that home care providers can walk seniors through trying in just a few minutes.

Encouraging Mindfulness Exercises

Mindfulness exercises are slightly different from relaxation techniques, although they can have similar results on stress. These exercises focus on bringing awareness to the present moment without judgment. Mindfulness has been shown to reduce stress and promote overall well-being for people of all ages. Companion care at home can introduce seniors to mindfulness exercises, such as meditation, mindful breathing, or body scans, and support them in incorporating these practices into their daily routines. Over time, regular use of mindfulness becomes easier to use. Seniors can experience big results from sticking with mindfulness, including lowering stress levels significantly.

Offering Social Engagement

For some seniors, stress is a result of diminished opportunities to spend time with other people. Social engagement is crucial for seniors’ mental and emotional well-being, as isolation and loneliness can contribute to stress and depression. Companion care at home can facilitate social engagement by providing companionship, organizing social outings, and connecting seniors with community resources. Engaging in conversation is something that is easy and doesn’t have to be complicated at all. If seniors are up for outings, elder care providers can help them to plan and to attend social outings. Caregivers can also help to connect seniors and family caregivers with community resources that might help further with socialization and stress relief.

Companion care at home can do so much for aging adults, simply by being there on a regular basis. Companionship alone can help seniors to feel less alone and inspire them to try new things. If seniors are having an especially difficult time managing stress, even with social engagement, it might be time to talk to their doctors about what else might be contributing to that stress. Health issues, particularly ones that are not under good control, can be a significant factor when it comes to stress for aging adults. Getting those health conditions addressed can do a lot.

If you are considering companion care at home in Henderson, NV, for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

5 Ways Senior Home Care Can Help Manage Depression

Posted on by Craig Bass
Senior Home Care in Summerlin NV
Senior Home Care in Summerlin NV

Depression is a lot more common for aging adults than a lot of family caregivers realize. Having senior home care professionals there with her during the day can be a big part of putting solutions in place for your elderly family member. Here are just a few of the ways that these care providers can make a big difference for your elderly family member.

Staying Aware of What’s Happening

It’s really important that you are able to stay aware of what is happening with your elderly family member and her health, especially if you’re not able to be there with her on a consistent basis. Having senior home care professionals there with your aging family member allows you to get another perspective about how your senior is doing. You can keep track of how she’s feeling, whether she’s eating or not, and other details that help you to talk with her doctor more effectively.

Encouraging Your Senior to Eat Healthy Meals

Nutrition always matters, especially when your senior isn’t feeling her best. Home care providers can keep up with all of the heavy lifting involved in getting healthy meals on the table and also remind your senior to eat. While depression isn’t a fully physical issue, remembering to eat and having nutritious options available can make a big difference in how your senior feels.

Keeping Her Home Safe and Tidy

It can be incredibly difficult for people dealing with depression to keep their physical environment as clean and as safe as it should really be. Senior home care can handle that part for your senior, too. You’ll feel better, as well, because you’ll know that your aging family member is in good hands and that she’s less likely to be living in an unsafe environment.

Helping Her Get to Appointments

Your senior’s doctor can be a crucial part of helping her to manage depression. Therapists and other mental health professionals may also be part of your senior’s care plan, so it’s important that she gets to those appointments when she needs to. If driving isn’t something she’s up for, having home care providers drive for her means she’s got another option.

Offering a Friendly Face

It’s also important for your senior to have a friendly companion available when she’s up for socializing. Isolation and loneliness can be big factors in seniors developing depression, so having a solution in place can do a lot of good. Your elderly family member may not even realize how important this is to her mental health until she’s got someone there with her on a regular basis.

There might be a lot of different causes and risk factors associated with your senior’s depression. It’s a lot easier to put a full care plan together for her when you and she have as much help as you need. And once a plan is in place, you can adjust the variables as needed to ensure that your elderly family member continues to have what she needs.

If you are considering senior home care in Summerlin, NV for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

Things to Know About Mental Illness in the Elderly

Posted on by Craig Bass
Home Care in Summerlin NV
Home Care in Summerlin NV

In 1990, the U.S. Congress named the first week of October as Mental Illness Awareness Week. Mental illness doesn’t target a specific age. Elderly adults are just as likely to experience mental illness as a teen or young adult.

For 2021, the goal is to advocate for a parent, child, or friend with mental illness. Take time to learn these facts about mental illness in the elderly so that you can advocate for your mom or dad.

Anxiety Disorders Are a Prevalent Form of Mental Illness

You might not think of anxiety as being a mental illness, but it is. About 19% of the U.S. population has an anxiety disorder, whether social anxiety or generalized anxiety. Your parent could very well have an anxiety disorder and feel ashamed and try to hide it.

How can you tell when your parent is experiencing an anxiety disorder? It can be challenging, but one of the more common signs is avoiding situations that cause anxiety, such as skipping a social event or refusing to go to a public location. Your mom or dad may also experience insomnia, have a hard time concentrating, and experience gastrointestinal issues.

Depression Isn’t a Normal Part of Aging

Depression is another form of mental illness that affects the elderly. While it’s not a normal part of aging, it is something older adults face. Some of the triggers can be the death of a spouse or being diagnosed with a chronic health condition.

Signs of depression include a lack of interest in favorite activities, irritability, appetite changes, and feelings of hopelessness. If your mom or dad is depressed and needs to go on medications, it’s not a sign of failure. Make sure they realize how many people take anti-depressants to ensure they’re not alone.

Around 10 Percent of Older Adults Do No Feel That They Get Enough Support

Do your parents feel like they have a strong support system? One out of ten older adults does not feel that they have the support they need. You can support your parents by listening to them vent, helping them with transportation and housekeeping, or helping them find information for questions or issues they have.

Keep your parents from feeling alone or lonely with regular visits from home care. Not only is their caregiver available to support them throughout the week, but they also have someone helping them remember to take breaks, get outside for fresh air, and take their medications on time.

Talk to an expert in home care to get prices and available services. It’s one way to start helping your mom or dad realize they’re not alone and that they have their family’s full support, even if their kids and grandkids live hours away.

Sources:
https://www.nami.org/get-involved/awareness-events/mental-illness-awareness-week
https://www.cdc.gov/aging/pdf/mental_health.pdf

If you are considering home care in Summerlin, NV for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

Helping Your Parent Deal with Anxiety

Posted on by Craig Bass
Home Care in Summerlin NV
Home Care in Summerlin NV

Your elderly parent’s mental health is just as important as his physical health as you help him to live independently in his home. Sometimes we can get so caught up in taking care of someone’s physical needs that the mental needs are forgotten or pushed to the side. If your parent has been showing indications of struggling with anxiety, you should set up an appointment with his physician to determine the cause of the anxiety. Some medications can increase anxiety and some other health issues (such as an overactive thyroid) can also create anxiety in your parent.

Once you have worked with your parent’s physician, there are things you can do at home as you take care of your parent that will help reduce the anxiety he is dealing with. These tips are also great to share with anyone else who may be caring for your parent, such as a home care provider or other family members.

Maintain a routine.

Anxiety can be wrapped up in not knowing what to expect each day. If you find this causes your parent to feel especially anxious, work with him to develop a regular routine for him. It might be as simple as to make sure he doesn’t have any surprise visitors. Plan those visits from his home care provider to be consistent and make sure your parent knows when to expect them. It might also be helpful for his daily routine to be consistent, with getting up at the same time each day and creating daily habits like walking after breakfast or having a lunch visitor every Tuesday.

Just listen.

For some people, speaking about their anxiety is one way for them to manage it better. If your parent wants to share his concerns and worries, listen actively and let him speak freely. Don’t shame his thoughts or disregard his concerns, even if you can’t relate to them. Your parent will feel more comfortable (and less anxious) if he knows he can share his concerns with you and still be treated with dignity and respect. A home care provider can also be a sounding board for your parent, if they feel more comfortable talking to someone other than their adult child.

Use distraction.

Your parent may just need help turning his brain away from its worries. Once you have listened well to your parent, encourage your parent to do something that will distract him from his worries and help his mind focus on other things. It might be a walk around the block, working on a puzzle, or calling a family member (especially a grandchild, they’re great at distractions!).

Refer to professional opinions.

If your parent is worried about the possibly of a tornado destroying his home, or the risk of suddenly developing a deadly disease, it might help to do some research with your parent to help him see the low risk of what he is worrying about. Just learning the facts about a topic can help reduce the anxiety around it.

If you find anxiety continues to rob your parent of his quality of life, medications and/or professional therapy can help him manage his anxiety and get back to enjoying life.

If you or an aging loved on is considering home care in Summerlin, NV, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.