Depression and isolation are huge issues for aging adults. It’s way too easy for your senior to give up on being around other people, and that can be a dangerous perspective for her to have.
Talk to Her Doctor about General Health Issues
There are a lot of different reasons that people become isolated, and sometimes those reasons have to do with health issues that are more difficult than they used to be. Talk to your senior and to her doctor about how her health is impacting her emotional well-being. There may be adjustments that her doctor can make to prescriptions or to other treatments that help.
Adjust Diet and Exercise
It might be a good idea to look a little deeper, too. How is your senior eating? Is she getting any exercise? Her doctor can help your senior to understand how much exercise she should be getting and what her diet should look like right now. Even making small changes can help quite a bit with how she’s feeling.
Work out How Well She’s Sleeping
If your elderly family member isn’t sleeping well, that has a huge impact on how she’s feeling. She may not be aware of how much sleep she’s getting. Poor sleep can manifest as daytime sleepiness and difficulty concentrating well. Many fitness trackers automatically track sleep if your senior wears the tracker to bed, so that might be an option.
Put Together a Plan for the Social Isolation
It’s tough to make new friends at any age, but especially when someone is older. Talk to your senior about what activities she wants to try, if any. There might be ways that she can meet people who have similar interests as she does. Even if she doesn’t want to be more engaged in that way, hiring home care providers can help with feelings of isolation. They can also help with other tasks, too.
Help Her to Find a Purpose
Lots of aging adults feel as if there’s no reason for them to be around. That’s a sad statement to hear from your elderly family member. Help her to find a specific purpose that she can direct her energy toward. If she knows that she’s helping someone, that can bring her a little bit more of a reason to keep reaching out to others.
Growing older isn’t easy for anyone. So much may have changed for your senior, and it is important for you as her family caregiver to be aware of how she’s feeling so you can help when necessary.
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE IS CONSIDERING HIRING HOME CARE IN SARATOGA, CA, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT HOME HELPERS TODAY (408) 317-4969.
