This Guest Post is from Harry Cline from newcaregiver.org. This is always an important topic, but even more so during the pandemic. Enjoy!
People go through many physical and life changes, as they grow older. The aging process often exacerbates health problems that limit your ability to do things you enjoy, or reduce mobility altogether. Kids grow up and move on, leaving you without companionship from day to day, and retirement may cause you to feel unmotivated and directionless.
Secrets of Aging explains that any change that restricts what you’re capable of doing is apt to alter how you feel about yourself and have a negative effect on one’s self-image. It’s no wonder that so many elderly individuals become isolated, a major cause of depression among seniors. And it got even worse during the pandemic.
Causes
Medical conditions place tremendous physical and psychological strain on elderly people. A senior relative suffering from Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, thyroid disorders, lupus, heart disease or trying to recover from stroke should be watched closely for signs of depression. Under such circumstances, it goes without saying that your loved one isn’t feeling good and is finding it difficult to enjoy life.
Frequently, medications involved in treating an older adult for a serious condition lead to a whole new set of problems that only worsen their condition. Keep a close eye on a senior who’s been prescribed tranquilizers, sleeping pills, painkillers, or steroids in treating a litany of health conditions.
Responding to depression
The website Seniorly notes that seniors suffering from depression can derive tremendous benefit from social engagement and finding ways to stay active. Overcoming depression is often a matter of maintaining perspective, which is why interacting with the people who know you best can help make sense of problems in ways you may not be able to see. And simple, unconditional loving support is invaluable to a senior who’s trying to find a path to happiness through negative change.
Help your loved one stay in touch with friends on a regular basis. Show them how to make liberal use of social media, email, texting, FaceTime or SnapChat, which can keep you in touch with loved ones.
Get Outside
There’s nothing quite like getting fresh air and some sunshine to lift one’s spirits. If your loved one is physically able, consider helping them get a dog for companionship and unconditional love. Daily walks and playing fetch in the backyard is a great incentive to get outdoors. Caring for a pet helps a depressed individual feel needed and fulfilled. A dog can help an older adult get the exercise they need, and it’s an excellent way to stimulate “feel-good” neurotransmitters in the brain.
Camping is another activity that can do wonders. Not only is it a great way to get away for a change of scenery, it can be a wonderful way to get family or friends together for a night or two under the stars and around the campfire. Spending more time in nature helps improve mental health, so pick a nearby park or campground and start planning a fun – and affordable – trip when warmer weather returns. And don’t forget to ready the essentials, like a tent, sleeping bag, and coolers.
Get a hobby
One’s senior years don’t have to be a time of stagnation and isolation. It can be an opportunity to try new things, to learn new skills and take on an activity just for the pure joy of it. DailyCaring explains that resuming a hobby or launching into something completely new can be a liberating experience and that’s good medicine for a senior suffering from depression.
Staying connected
Finding ways to get out and about is important for depressed seniors. It may be necessary for family members to help an older relative stay connected with the outside world if the signs of depression are in evidence. Spending time with friends is always beneficial, but there are many other opportunities to stay connected.
Volunteering with a charitable organization is an excellent way to feel good about yourself and expand your personal network of acquaintances. Joining a depression support group can help provide that missing sense of perspective that can be so easy to lose when one is depressed.
There are many reasons for people to feel depressed, as they grow older. It’s easy to feel unwanted, unmotivated and lost, which is why it’s so important for family and friends to recognize the signs of depression and take a hand in counteracting its harmful manifestations.
Here at Secrets of Aging, we feature some commonly accepted and proven tips, techniques and programs you can be doing to stay as young as you can, both mentally and physically. Contact us for more info today!
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