In-home care can help seniors dealing with depression with regular interaction and support.
As seniors age in place, you or in-home care will need to focus on a senior more than you may think. A senior is at risk of depression just like anyone else, and if they are alone or aging in place, it might be hard to spot.
Depression is the feeling of being down, sad, or blue for an extended period of time. It may happen because of loss, grief, or social isolation, and it can be deadly for a senior to experience alone.
In-home care can help provide companionship when you are not with your loved one, and they can ensure your senior mom or dad’s mood is stable. They can limit the feelings of depression, but it is a sneaky mental health disease. In-home care providers should pay attention to any warning signs a senior may be depressed and then seek the right help for their loved one if they have any suspicions.
They Lose Interest In Things They Love
All seniors should have hobbies they love to do. Sometimes a senior’s hobbies change but the point is they wake up and have something to look forward to doing. Your senior loved one may love to craft, paint, build things, work on puzzles, read books, or do anything else that in-home care providers can encourage them to do every day. If these activities suddenly stop, it can be a really bad sign.
If they have lost interest in something that brings them so much joy, in-home care should open up a judgment-free conversation. It may be due to depression, or it may be something else entirely.
If a senior is sad, has experienced loss, or is having trouble focusing, it could be depression. On the other hand, if they can no longer read the text or hold a paintbrush, in-home care providers may just need to adjust how a senior is doing a hobby. For example, they may need to find senior large print books to enjoy or different, more comfortable paint brushes.
Seniors May Stop Eating
When a senior is depressed, they may not feel hunger like they normally do, or they may ignore the signs of feeling hungry because it is helping them feel something other than sadness. This can have a devastating impact on emotional health and physical health when a senior stops eating.
In-home care providers should still prepare senior food in advance and have them sit down. Having a routine around food can be mentally healthy for seniors because they may automatically eat even if they are not hungry. Food allows seniors to fuel their bodies, and they may feel better when they are getting the vitamins and minerals they need.
They May Voice Their Sadness
If your senior loved one is talking about how down they are feeling it is so crucial to never sweep those feelings under the rug. Start a conversation about their sadness and try to understand if it is a specific situation or if it is long-term which means it is depression. If your senior is voicing their grief it is important you listen openly to try to understand how you can best help them.
If you or an aging loved one are considering In-Home Care in Hattiesburg, MS, please contact the At Home Care staff Today! (800) 218-3509
At Home Care is a Top Provider of Senior Home Care in Port Gibson, MS, and throughout the State of MS. Our service areas include Hattiesburg, Brookhaven, Gulfport, Natchez, Gloster, McComb, Meridian, Laurel, Indianola, Tunica, Jackson and surrounding areas.