Knowing When You Need Senior Care: Important Information | Law ...

July 14, 2012 by pl

Many adult children understand how difficult it is to properly care for and deal with their elderly parents. While the situation can be overwhelming and frightening, with just a few simple tools and tips, the lives of both children and parent can be enriched and strengthened. Many elderly individuals usually stay active and fulfilled, even into their later years. But if an elderly member of the family seems to be experiencing feelings of melancholy or feelings of loneliness, there are many things that can be helpful to them.?

Possible signs to be attentive of:

• Decreased involvement in activities and things they previously enjoyed.
• Increased forgetfulness or a heightened feeling of confusion, even when performing simple tasks or running errands.?
• A neglect of personal hygiene.?
• An increasingly withdrawn character.?

These are generally some signs and symptoms of depression. Depression can be caused by many things, and it?s really important to know some common triggers of elderly depression. Often times, an elderly individual who recently lost a loved one or a close friend may be experiencing grief and depression. Similarly, an elderly individual who has recently been told they have a chronic or another serious illness may find themselves overwhelmed by depression. Still, there are many ways that members of the family and loved ones can help.?

How to help a depressed elderly loved one:

• If possible, it might be good to take the elderly individual to a doctor or another specialist for a medical exam. This will rule out any serious ailment or illness that could be symptomatic of the depression.

• Increased visits and phone calls can be extremely encouraging to an elderly individual who feels lonely or depressed. These social ties will help the individual overcome their depression.

• Try to help the individual reach out to the community and to socialize with others. There are lots of centers and senior organizations that have regular activities and can allow the individual to help make more friends and meet a lot more people. They often focus on elder care, and include activities like exercise, which is actually a natural aid in curing depression.?

• Try to help make regular time for the individual. It can also be helpful to take them out to dinner or help them with a few chores or errands. These simple dates can help them feel less overwhelmed and ease symptoms of depression.

While seeing an elderly member of the family or loved one suffer from a significant physical or mental illness can be hard, it?s important to remain reasonable and calm. If everyday tasks and chores are overwhelming or the individual is not able to perform them, medical or other help may be necessary. Many seniors do not like to depart their homes and places of comfort, so for those who are not able to provide needed regular care, there are many senior care providers (find one here) which really can be incredibly helpful. These companies will make sure that the elderly individual is well taken care of and happy. As home health providers, they won?t require the elderly individual to leave the home.

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Source: http://www.elnaonline.org/knowing-when-you-need-senior-care-important-information.html

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