Health is the main goal of senior care. But as anyone who has an elderly loved one will tell you, this means much more than just physical health. Yes, we want our loved ones to be safe and as physically healthy as they can be, but senior care can and should do much more than provide the necessities to keep our older family members alive through the day. A good in-home care professional knows this, and that’s why in-home care is such a valuable asset to you and your family.
What are your duties as a family member when it comes to helping out with your parent’s mental health? First, know what some of the warning signs are of depression. They might not be as obvious as you might think. Familiarizing yourself with these will be a good way to ensure that your mom or dad is staying mentally healthy.
If you find that they are showing signs of depression, knowing what to do about it is the next step. Get them in touch with a doctor who is familiar with elder care and mental health, and let them have a conversation. Antidepressants may be mentioned. There are a lot of reports out there concerning the dangers of taking antidepressants. Some reports have said that these actually increase the risk of suicide in some cases. Others talk about how when elderly individuals take antidepressants, their risk of hip fractures increases. These may be facts, but it is hard to say for certain whether the antidepressant is the causal agent, or if it is just a correlative instance. Either way, we have a duty to care for the health of our loved ones, both their physical and their mental health. If this can be accomplished through the use of antidepressants, then this is a step worth considering.
Antidepressants are just one piece of a puzzle that is meant to help improve mental health. On their own, they often do very little. When combined with exercise and therapy, they work their best. We encourage you to carefully go over all options with your loved one before a final decision is made on how best to help them.
Sometimes depression is a very hard thing for some to be open about, and this is especially true in older generations. If a doctor’s appointment doesn’t seem possible, then you may want to help in your own way. Studies have shown that even simple little things like increased exercise and increased socialization can be helpful when it comes to curtailing depression and anxiety. We see increases of depression in the elderly because both of these things are tough for older people to take part in.
This is why in-home care can be so powerful. A compassionate caregiver is someone that your mom or dad can talk to honestly and openly, without fear of being judged by a family member. Even talking for a while with a caregiver while out for a slow walk, or moving around in the living room, can be a huge boost when it comes to mental health. This one on one attention is something that no other type of care can provide with the same amount of ease.
Leave a Reply