Is your elderly loved one depressed? Maybe, they are just feeling down and are trying to prevent depression. Either way, they must make a plan, one step at a time, to lower their risk of depression or long-term depression. The steps that are noted here today can be a good start for you and their companion care at home providers in helping them to feel better and improve their overall mental health, too.
Make a Plan for Life Changes
Over time, changes are going to happen in life and it is best to be as prepared as possible for these. While there is no way to plan for everything and your elderly loved one doesn’t need to stress over every little change, planning for the bigger changes such as menopause, the loss of a loved one, and having certain types of health issues is helpful. By doing this, there will be fewer surprises and less of a chance that your elderly loved one will become depressed when these changes happen because they are already prepared for them.
Socializing is Necessary
If your elderly loved one is worried they will develop depression, one of the best ways around this is to have them socialize. Studies show that socializing is necessary for all human beings. It is a need in life. People who don’t socialize often feel lonely, bored, and alone in this world. All those feelings can lead to anxiety, stress, and depression. If your elderly loved one currently doesn’t have many people to socialize with, you or companion care at home providers can help with that. You can make a schedule for who will socialize with your elderly loved one and when. Someone should be with them or talk to them at least once every few days.
Participating in Physical Activities
Research also shows that participating in physical activities helps to reduce the risk of depression. The reason for this is that physical activity releases feel-good chemicals in the brain that help people to feel happier, calmer, more relaxed, and more in control of their life. Many physical activities are great for the elderly including, but not limited to, dancing, hiking, walking, cleaning, gardening, and more.
Companion Care at Home can be There to Bolster Improvements
Is your elderly loved one worried they are going to get depressed? Are they depressed now and want to overcome it quickly? If this is the case, you and your companion care at home providers can work with your elderly loved ones to help them improve the state of their mental health. Hopefully, they can start with the tips mentioned here today and slowly add in more lifestyle changes to begin feeling better.
If at any point in time, your elderly loved one is feeling very depressed, talk them into seeing a therapist or a doctor. They may need professional help to overcome depression. You can still be there for them and support their recovery from depression. However, it might take more than just socializing and exercise to help them through it.
Sources: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/depression-and-older-adults
If you or a family member need to hire Companion Care at Home Services in Plainview NY, or the surrounding areas, contact the caring professionals at Star Multi Care Services today at (631)956-8835. We are the Right Choice for Home Health Care Services!
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