Depression is something that can impact all sorts of people of all ages and abilities. It is not necessarily something that is inevitable, however, especially for people who are growing older. Seniors can be at a greater risk of experiencing depression that goes unnoticed, so it’s important for family caregivers to know what to look for. Having help, especially from senior home care, can make all of this easier for everyone involved.
Signs of Depression in Seniors
The obvious sign of depression is when seniors feel sad or helpless, but there are other signs that might be more subtle. Those signs can include:
- Changes in appetite
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Trouble sleeping
- Loss of interest in favorite activities
- Unexplained aches and pains
Very often, people can be depressed and not realize that’s what they’re dealing with at that point. Because of that, seniors might not mention that they’re experiencing these issues, either to family caregivers or to their doctors. It’s important to be able to get to the bottom of what is happening in order to find solutions.
Look for Medical Causes
Understanding the causes of depression helps to put solutions in place. One big cause of senior depression relates to medical causes. Losing mobility or other aspects of good health can very quickly lead to depression. It’s also important to remember that side effects from medications and from other treatments can sometimes lead to depression. Ruling out medical causes or addressing them properly is important.
Look for Other Causes
There can also be other causes for depression, like seniors spending too much time by themselves. Isolation is something that can “sneak up” on seniors or that they choose because of health issues and other reasons. Digging deeper and working to understand these reasons helps seniors to not only get to the root causes of their depression but also to find the right answers for them.
Find Solutions
Preventing depression is always easier to do than resolving it. Ensuring that seniors have companionship, like from home care providers visiting at regular intervals, can help quite a lot. It’s also important for seniors to feel involved in their communities, with a sense of purpose. Encouraging seniors to embrace hobbies is also a good idea. Eating a healthy diet and exercising as much as their doctors recommend can also help.
Make Life Easier
For many seniors, as life becomes more difficult, depression is a result. If daily activities are becoming more of a hassle, help from senior home care can do a lot to reduce that workload and make life easier. Home care providers can also be alert for other potential contributing factors for depression, helping seniors and family caregivers to stay aware of what might be going on behind the scenes.
Battling depression is a big job and seniors don’t have to do it alone. Between family members, senior home care, and medical providers, seniors can develop a toolkit that helps them to prevent and reduce signs of depression in their lives.
If you or an aging loved one are considering senior home care in Benbrook, TX, please contact the caring staff at Clear Path Home Care today. Call (817) 631-7710.
Clear Path Home Care provides compassionate, high quality home care in Bosque County, Hill County, Navarro County, Henderson County, Erath County, Somervell County, Johnson County, Ellis County, Parker County, Tarrant County, Dallas County, Kaufman County, Rains County, Hood County, VanZandt County, and Rockwall County in Texas.
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