This holiday season will be like nothing any of us have ever experienced. And even though the devastation of COVID-19 has been great, perhaps the biggest fallout that we have experienced when it comes to the pandemic is on the mental health front. Social distancing and isolation are not things that we as humans do naturally. We are social, and limiting that has been incredibly tough.
The reality is that seniors are bearing the major portion of this. Seniors in nursing homes and other places are more distant than ever before in much of the country.
That’s why I’m asking you to think about the elderly folks in your life a little bit more than usual this holiday season. Go out of your way to connect with them, even if that means using technology and chatting virtually. This is a hard time to be distant from those that you care about and this small gesture will mean a lot more than you could ever realize.
Mental health already tends to be a big concern amongst seniors, especially during the holiday season. However, a lot of elderly folk are not likely to talk about this because this population tends to look down at mental health issues as “weakness.” Luckily, this stigma is slowly changing and people are getting more help.
Seniors across the country are struggling with mental health issues this holiday season.
Seniors are also more likely to face memory loss than younger individuals, and this can bring on a whole host of other problems when it comes to mental health. Not only can this be frustrated, it can elevate levels of anxiety, agitation, and depression. It isn’t talked about a lot, but those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia often face severe depression as a result of their cognitive decline. Depression isn’t the main issue and often can go untreated in these instances, but that doesn’t make it any less of a real problem. Helping the seniors in your life that struggle with dementia or are in the early stages of memory loss can go a long way toward improving their quality of life. Even though many types of dementia do not have cures, there are sometimes things that can be done to help those struggling with cognitive decline live a happier life.
Finally, it’s worth pointing out that sometimes quality senior care can help to improve mental health in the elderly. This is true all around the year. Having a caregiver that knows how to help those with dementia, address their personal needs more fully, and can do so with a loving, helpful touch is important. There are a lot of different types of senior care out there, but not all caregivers are fully trained to provide top notch memory care.
Let us know if we can help. But don’t forget that we are just one resource. There are a lot of really good senior care providers all across the country. Knowing who to reach out to for help in your community is a strong first step toward keeping your loved one as healthy as possible this holiday season, both physically and mentally.
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