Just one of the many issues that seniors can face as they grow older is the impact of both depression and isolation on their mental and physical health. Ignoring these feelings when they crop up doesn’t help your senior to get what she needs. In fact, not resolving these issues can cause much bigger problems down the line. Home care assistance can help you and your senior to find the tools that she needs in her unique situation.
What Happens When Seniors Experience Depression and Isolation?
Depression is a common condition among seniors and can be caused by a variety of factors, such as a loss of independence, chronic illness, and the loss of loved ones. Depression can also be caused by chemical changes in the brain and body, so talking to your senior’s doctor is a good idea. Symptoms of depression in seniors can include feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest in activities they once enjoyed. Isolation can lead to depression, which is a big reason to try to find solutions that help your elderly family member to avoid isolation. Some of the causes of isolation include mobility problems, health issues, and lack of support systems.
Hands-on Help When Your Senior Needs It
If your elderly family member is experiencing a lot of difficulty with daily tasks, mobility, or other concerns, home care assistance is an excellent solution. Caregivers are able to take on household tasks, personal care tasks, and offer help in other ways, like with transportation. All of these solutions offer tangible assistance that your elderly family member may find incredibly useful.
Socialization and Reaching Out to Other People
When your elderly family member spends time with senior home care providers, they’re offering her opportunities to socialize and to engage with other people. They can also help your senior to find it easier to socialize with other people, by helping with transportation or making it easier for your senior to have visitors over. When your senior feels more comfortable letting people into her spaces, she’s less likely to experience isolation or to have those feelings worsen into depression.
Companionship and Emotional Support
Home care assistance can also encourage your elderly family member to engage in activities she enjoys, even if she needs a little help. Spending time with someone while she gardens, reads, or watches favorite movies offers your senior emotional support and companionship that might have been difficult to incorporate into her daily life otherwise. In-home care professionals really get to know your senior, including her preferences and habits, which means that they can offer her the support that she truly needs.
Even though depression and isolation are common for seniors, that doesn’t mean that your senior must simply suffer through these issues. Home care assistance can give your senior the solutions that she needs in order to resolve the underlying problems, thereby reducing the risk of your senior having to deal with those consequences at all. If your elderly family member is experiencing depression, make sure to talk with her doctor to rule out medical causes.
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care assistance in Coon Rapids, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.
