Anxiety is one of the several illnesses that has received a lot of press attention lately. Whether it is something that is actually on the rise, or just that it’s been receiving more attention and has had more awareness about it raised lately is up for debate. What’s not up for debate, though, is the fact that anxiety is a serious illness and can have a bigger effect upon the elderly than you might imagine. This is a population that is already at a high risk of mental illness because of the changes that they might be experiencing within their lives and living situations, but anxiety is one of those things that they often will not talk about. But just because it isn’t mentioned doesn’t mean that they are experiencing it. Furthermore, anxiety is usually avoidable given the right care approach, which makes the symptoms that much worse.
Worrying is a normal part of life. It helps us to prepare for the future and make better decisions on how to act. Anxiety is not normal. It causes disruptions within our lives, and can completely paralyze us if we let it. The longer that it goes unchecked, the worse it becomes. Some people are great at alleviating anxiety on their own. Exercise and relaxation can help in this regard. As we get older, though, these things can be harder to do, and that allows for things like anxiety and depression to creep in. It can be gradual at first, but the end result is that mental health is affected, and this can often lead to physical deterioration. When this happens to the elderly, the outcome is often exaggerated.
Anxiety in the elderly can still be treated, and even prevented. Exercise can help, and just because your elderly loved one might not be able to go out and run a marathon any more doesn’t mean that they can’t exercise at all. Even little things, like using a stationary bike for a few minutes, can be very productive when it comes to helping. Counseling has also been proven to be effective at helping. Having a friendly caregiver, someone who will talk in a compassionate and loving manner can sometimes fulfill the same purpose.
Please remember that anxiety can often accompany even worse illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Also remember that sometimes the fears and other things that accompany these diseases may be well founded. Your loved one is going through some major changes in their life, and it is completely normal for them to be stressed about this. Guidance, support, and supervision can be big helpers to get them through this difficult time. Also, having the companionship that accompanies in-home care can provide them with someone to talk to about their fears and difficulties, a loving presence to be near them, and just a friend to count on. In-home care’s impact cannot be underestimated when it comes to mental health and alleviating anxiety because of this. Just be aware that anxiety might be the visible symptom, but it might be present because there is a worse condition at work, too.
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