As aging loved ones add more years to their lives, it is important now more than ever to ensure they are given the proper care and attention needed for supporting and maintaining mental health.
While this can be challenging to manage on top of everyday life activities and responsibilities, having a better understanding of what it takes to care for the mental needs of aging loved ones can help make managing them easier.
It’s important to understand the steps you can take towards providing helpful support that not only prevents or alleviates distress but helps promote autonomy amid growing physical restrictions.
Take Care of Their Physical Health
Taking care of the physical health of the elderly is essential for their mental wellbeing. A balanced diet and regular exercise help promote a healthy body that in turn helps generate strong positive emotions, like happiness and optimism.
Proper physical care is especially essential as our aging loved ones become more vulnerable. Without tending to their needs and monitoring their health, complications can arise quickly in an elderly person’s body and can lead to long-term chronic health issues. It is important to stay alert and be aware of subtle changes in state of health, recognize new physical symptoms, and take measures when necessary. Regular doctor visits should be encouraged, any prescription medications need to be carefully monitored, and if mobility becomes increasingly difficult appropriate assistive devices should be recommended. You can also work with your loved one to ensure that they are comfortable and happy with their healthcare provider. Some individuals may prefer receiving healthcare from people who reflect their lived experience, such as connecting with female doctors, or doctors who understand diverse cultural backgrounds.
With proper physical maintenance, life expectancy for seniors can rise dramatically as a result of improved quality of life.
Set Up Regular Times To Connect
Setting up regular times to connect with elderly family members can be a valuable way of ensuring that these important people in our lives feel supported and connected. It can provide them with an emotional outlet; enabling them to talk about their experiences, as well as ask for help when needed. This is especially important if they live in an assisted living facility.
It can also promote greater understanding and communication among generations, which is invaluable for teaching younger generations about their heritage and culture.
As a result, it can ultimately strengthen the bond between family members over time and ensure that elderly relatives are not neglected or forgotten.
Make Sure They are Digitally Connected With You and Their Communities
One of the best ways to make sure elderly family members are digitally connected is to provide them with a device, such as a laptop or tablet, that can be used for communication and connection.
Additionally, when setting up this device for them, it would be useful to help teach them how to use the platform you’ve chosen for communication. Many platforms such as Zoom and Skype now even have features specifically designed with senior citizens in mind, so these may be great options if your family members are new to technology.
Another strategy is to start small, by providing senior family members with opportunities to interact with others in their community through digital means.
This could include joining a virtual book club or art class or finding video tutorials on an area of interest.
With appropriate technology training and support, elderly family members can stay connected with each other and the world around them online.
Be Sure They’re Physically Active
Encouraging elderly people in your life to stay physically active is an important practice. Exercise can be beneficial in helping elderly individuals avoid becoming frail, reducing their risk of falls, managing energy levels and keeping moods positive.
To be sure that the elderly people in your life remain physically active, try scheduling regular walks with them and participating in group courses at local community centers or fitness facilities like yoga, tai-chi or water aerobics.
If possible, look for classes and workshops tailored towards older participants whose physical limitations might need to be accounted for.
Additionally, encouraging the older adults to do whatever physical activity is safe for them—gardening, housework or simply going for a stroll around the neighborhood can all go a long way towards helping them keep active.
Ensure They’re Sleeping Well
Encouraging elderly people in your life to stay physically active is an important practice. Exercise can be beneficial in helping elderly individuals avoid becoming frail, reducing their risk of falls, managing energy levels and keeping moods positive.
To be sure that the elderly people in your life remain physically active, try scheduling regular walks with them and participating in group courses at local community centers or fitness facilities like yoga, tai-chi or water aerobics.
If possible, look for classes and workshops tailored towards older participants whose physical limitations might need to be accounted for.
Additionally, encouraging the older adults to do whatever physical activity is safe for them—gardening, housework or simply going for a stroll around the neighborhood can all go a long way towards helping them keep active. (1)
Establish Regular Activities That Stimulate Their Brain
Staying mentally active is important for people at any age, but especially in the elderly, it can be essential for continued health and wellbeing. There are many ways to ensure your elderly loved ones remain mentally stimulated and engaged.
First, it’s important to make sure they stay connected with people and the world around them. Encourage them to keep up with current events and socialize regularly. Secondly, there are a number of activities that help stimulate their minds and provide physical benefits too; puzzles like jigsaw or crossword and Sudoku are ideal for keeping their mental sharpness intact.
Additionally, learning something new is a great way to exercise their brains, such as a new language or craft like knitting. Finally, spend some time with them playing active games or discussing topics of interest – these activities can encourage not just mental stimulation but also can help build relationships with those we love while having fun at the same time.
Conclusion
Taking care of our ageing loved ones is a responsibility that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Elderly people have their own unique mental health needs and require different levels of care compared to those in younger age groups in order to stay healthy mentally and emotionally.
Watching out for signs or symptoms of depression or other mental illnesses would be an important starting point when it comes to caring for the mental health of aging loved ones. Additionally, providing supportive and understanding environments with ample engaging activities as well as paying attention to diet, exercise, and medical/pharmaceutical treatments can also play an essential part in achieving mental wellness for our elder family members.
Equipping elders with helpful technology tools such as apps that offer guidance on maintaining safety and reminders for medications can also go a long way towards aiding them in daily life. While there is much more that can be talked about on this subject, we hope this blog post has provided some helpful information regarding caring for the mental health of aging loved ones. (2)
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