Over time, seniors face a lot of uncertainty in their lives. This can contribute to anxiety, among other mental health challenges. Working through those issues is easier when family caregivers adopt various strategies and reach out for help, especially to 24-hour home care providers. Putting together a plan offers a way for families to keep track of what works and what doesn’t.
Provide Social Connection
Very often, seniors feel anxiety because they’re alone a lot more and they don’t have the same opportunities for social interaction and connection that they had in the past. Having home care providers there to offer hands-on help also ensures that aging adults have social engagement throughout the day and night.
Offer Engaging Activities
Keeping the brain active and engaged is another powerful tool in battling anxiety. Helping seniors to have access to a variety of puzzles, hobbies, games, and more can ensure that they’ve got the cognitive stimulation they need in order to stay healthy. Elder care providers can help seniors to balance out activities with periods of rest, allowing their brain and their bodies to have what they need.
Promote Regular Exercise
Exercise is something that seniors are often told they need to include in their daily lives not just for physical well-being but also for mental health. It’s best to start with a talk with medical providers to make sure that exercise is a safe option. Afterward, seniors should listen to their bodies and try out physical activities that make their bodies feel good and that help them to be more active. That might mean walking more, taking up gardening, or even just doing chair exercises.
Try Mindfulness and Meditation
Activities like meditation and mindfulness can be incredibly helpful for anxiety. These techniques can help seniors to focus on being present in the moment in front of them, instead of worrying about the past or the future. They can more easily achieve a sense of inner peace and also relax.
Prioritize Nutrition
As always, nutrition and a balanced diet are essential for aging adults. Hydrating properly, eating foods with plenty of nutrients, and getting the right mix of protein, fats, and carbohydrates all keep a senior’s brain and body functioning properly. Home care providers can help to make eating well easier for seniors, even if they face challenges around eating that make it more difficult.
Protect Sleep
Seniors are more likely to be able to battle anxiety successfully when they have a good sleep routine. 24-hour home care providers can help seniors figure out what’s interfering with their sleep and work out ways to get better sleep. Other tips, like moving more, can also work toward helping aging adults get the better sleep they need.
Addressing anxiety isn’t about finding a one-size-fits-all solution for seniors. What can help a lot is for aging adults to have help from 24-hour home care providers who learn their routines and preferences and who are able to make suggestions that meet the seniors’ needs. From there, a full plan is easier to implement.
If you or an aging loved one is considering 24-hour home care in Maple Grove, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.
