Helping Seniors To OvercomeMild Depression

One of the most common mental health issues found in aging adults is depression. For a multitude of reasons, depression takes hold of our loved ones. Detecting and assisting those who suffer from depression is extremely important. If you suspect that your aging loved one is becoming depressed, here are a few suggesting for helping them through it:

Make sure all physical needs are metOccasionally, our loved ones are suffering more than emotional discomfort. Make sure they are comfortable in their current living situation. Is their home clean and well stocked with necessities? Are they financially stable enough to not have to worry about finances week to week?

Make sure that all nutritional needs are being met. Unhealthy diets can be a trigger for depression. Even the simple act of spending the time to help them clean up, or cook meals can make a world of difference.

Increase visitsSometimes all they need is someone to talk to. Make traditions such as Sunday visits with fresh flowers, or home baked food. Make plans to play their favorite card game with them each week.

It’s possible that they might just want to sit in silence and watch television with you. The point is that they don’t want to feel alone.

Ask them what would make them happy, and make it happenSometimes getting to the root of the issue is as simple as just asking questions. After all, they know what they will make them happy. Maybe they are really missing attending religious services, or they wish they could get out more often.

Encourage them to speak up about their needs and address them as best as possible.

Take them outBeing confined within a small space for an extended period of time is enough to drive anyone crazy. Think about their daily life, and the variation of activities they partake in. Are they on a monotonous schedule? If you can, take them with you when you run errands or go out for lunch.

From personal experience, simply taking my great grandmother out to her favorite lunch spot uplifted her for days.

Give them responsibilityLots of times, senior citizen will report feeling a lack of purpose. Giving them small responsibilities will help them with feeling valued. Each person will have their own abilities and limitations, and what you decide to let them be responsible for will vary greatly depending on the situation.

If they are able to drive, ask them if they wouldn’t mind driving children to extracurricular activities. Place a rescue pet in their care that they will need to feed and take care of. Keep regular physical therapy appointments and ask the doctor to make sure that they are giving them tasks to complete outside of therapy.

Families looking for help and support in dealing with depression in an elderly loved one can turn to our BrightStar team for help.

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