Those aches and pains that come with aging are usually not a surprise. However, seniors tend to forget that mental changes also occur with age. Your senior loved one may experience these potential issues that commonly occur with age, and being prepared for them can help you protect your loved one from severe impacts on his or her mental health.
1. Dementia Symptoms
Watching as your loved one’s abilities diminish over time means you’ll likely see him or her experience some instances of frustration. The mental changes that occur with dementia include symptoms such as increased anger, mood swings, and even apathy. You can help your loved one reduce these feelings by focusing on finding solutions to common challenges he or she may encounter as his or her abilities change.
Dementia can be challenging for seniors to manage, but they can maintain a higher quality of life with the help of professional dementia care. Lincoln seniors can benefit greatly from the Cognitive Therapeutics Method (CTM), an activities-based program designed to promote cognitive health and delay the onset of dementia. CTM is included at no additional charge with any of the in-home care plans provided by Home Care Assistance.
2. Effects of Past Traumas
A person’s experiences of trauma can grow over the years. When you think about it, most people start out with a few issues and pick up baggage as time goes by. By the time people reach their senior years, they may be bitter about so many things that happened in the past that it affects their mental wellbeing. Some seniors may need counseling to work through their emotions, and they may also benefit from starting new hobbies and making new friends that keep them from ruminating about the past.
3. Physical Health’s Influence on Mood
Aging increases the risk of developing diabetes, and the blood sugar fluctuations that occur with this condition can also cause mood swings. Conditions that cause chronic pain can also cause your loved one to feel cranky and lose the motivation to take care of his or her health. Stay on top of chronic health conditions by helping your loved one take medication and get to the doctor regularly.
Caring for senior loved ones can be challenging for families who don’t have expertise or professional training in home care, but this challenge doesn’t have to be faced alone. Family caregivers can turn to Home Care Assistance for the help they need. We provide high-quality live-in and respite care as well as comprehensive Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, and Parkinson’s care.
4. Anxiety
Seniors have many things to worry about. They may fret over recent health tests while they wait for results, or they may be concerned about finances. They may even worry about being hurt while home alone. Ask your loved one about the things that cause him or her to feel anxious. Then work together to make a plan to help with each one.
5. Traumatic Brain Injuries
A major brain injury can affect the ability to think and reason well. Seniors may also experience emotional changes, depending on where the trauma occurs in the brain. Your loved one should have strategies in place to prevent falls that lead to concussions. Helping around the house, encouraging your parent to use a mobility aid, and relocating items to lower shelves are a few things you can do to help immediately.
6. Grief & Loss
Your loved one will begin to lose more friends and family members as he or she ages. The grief and loss experienced is often compounded by isolation. Surround your loved one with multiple means of emotional support to help him or her get through difficult times more easily.
Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type of home care service. Lincoln families can rely on Home Care Assistance to provide individualized care plans to meet their elderly loved ones’ unique care needs. Our holistic Balanced Care Method was designed to help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and our Cognitive Therapeutics Method offers mentally stimulating activities that can stave off cognitive decline and delay the onset of dementia. If you need professional home care for your loved one, reach out to one of our Care Managers today at (916) 226-3737.