Depression is a serious issue for older adults. This includes adults with and without health conditions, though many of the disorders that elderly adults are subject to can come with their own mental health issues. For example, dementia can worsen or even itself be a cause of depression. One of the biggest issues that people who are older face is that it becomes untenable for them to move about as they used to. They find themselves unable to continue to do the activities they were used to, or to do things for themselves that they could previously do. They also have much more time alone, which can lead to loneliness, which can cause depression symptoms.
Those of us who have an elderly relatives would likely be interested to learn more about how to help with this condition. Being depressed is not a normal state of being, and it is not an inherent part of aging. However, one of the largest factors in its genesis is loneliness. Perhaps their spouse or significant other has passed, perhaps their children have recently moved into their own houses, maybe very far away from their parents. People who live near one another, particularly in the current hustle and constant work, may also not have enough time to visit their elderly relative. People forget sometimes how lonely it can be to not be visited by anyone for days or even weeks at a time.
For those whose aging relatives have been moved into a nursing home, it can be even worse. Staffing shortages at these places, possibly due to low wages, is a major concern. It leaves little time to spend one-on-one with the patients in their care. Assisted living facilities have the same issue. Sometimes people become lonely and depressed in these places as well, simply from not having personal attention paid to them.
For all of these types of elderly patients, there are some simple things that you can do.
Be There For Them As Much As You Can And Improve Their Social Interaction
Amid the hustle and bustle of life, we can forget about our elderly relatives who live alone. Whenever possible, you can visit them. Spending even an hour a week becomes something that they can look forward to, and it can lift their spirits and cheer them up. These benefits can last for a while, and it makes them feel cared for.
Read them a book that they can no longer see well enough to read. Ask them questions about their life, put together a puzzle, or play card games. Try not to watch movies or do other things that distract you from being in their presence, but instead practice engaging activities. If there is something that they enjoy where you could take them somewhere, you can do that as well. Be creative. It can mean a lot to them.
When patients suffer from dementia, this can cause them to suffer from depression, along with having a negative effect on their caregiver. Being around these individuals on a consistent basis can make their condition more bearable and give them the social interaction that they also need. Regular visits can go a very long way, no matter what activities you might be doing with them.
If you are not available yourself, and they are not in a facility, you can try enrolling them in a local program for older adults. Some places are free and are provided by a municipality (if you live in a larger one), although others do have a cost. Such places usually provide activities for older adults, as well as meals during the day that are approved by nutritionists and in line with current guidelines.
Diet and Exercise
Not all older adults suffer from this condition. You must be careful to maintain them on a healthy and balanced diet, so that they are getting sufficient protein and the vitamins that they need. This is important to keep their nutritional levels well-maintained. This way, they are able to continue to do most of the activities they could previously do.
In addition to this, appropriate exercise is also critically important. Getting sufficient exercise, especially by gentle walking, is super critical. Recent research has shown that exercise is more effective than medications in helping with certain health conditions. These include the obvious such as diabetes, but it also has a positive affect on cardiovascular health as well.
Official recommendations were changed long ago to acknowledge the importance of exercise for older adults. Most good cardiologists will tell their patients to walk every day. Usually the bare minimum would be 10,000 steps per day, if you are using a step-counter. Using a step counter isn’t necessary, but most people would take 10,000 steps in about an hour and 45 minutes of walking.
The Arthritis Foundation suggests walking about 8-10,000 steps per day, depending on age and activity level. If you are or know a sedentary adult (defined medically as less than 5,000 steps per day), then they should work slowly up to the goal of 8-10,000 steps per day.
According to the Arthritis Foundation, this level of walking can improve muscle strength, range of motion, flexibility, mood and sleep, and breathing. It can also help to stimulate the appetite, which many older adults suffer from a loss of as they age. This can often be due to the use of multiple pharmaceuticals being prescribed for various health conditions that particularly affect the elderly, such as high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and arthritis. Walking daily can help with these conditions. According to the Mayo Clinic (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure/art-20045206), exercise can make the heart stronger, and it can also lower blood pressure.
Other studies have shown that vigorous exercise for 20-30 minutes a day is comparable in effect to statin medications when it comes to arterial stiffness, which can cause high blood pressure.
Geriatric Massage Shows Proven Benefits
One therapy for older adults that you may not know about is geriatric massage. This is a specialized type of massage tailored to the special needs of this elderly population. If the older person is not frail, and is in a high state of fitness and health, this type of massage may not be necessary. But for those with disorders related to again, such as cognitive decline, arthritis, diabetes, and other conditions causing them to be more frail and delicate, elderly massage may be the perfect option.
This type of massage can be done clothed or unclothed with oil, depending on their preference. Most patients can receive this type of therapy in their bed or on their favorite easy chair or couch. If they want to use the massage table, they can be assisted in getting onto it. If they prefer to use a massage chair, if they cannot get onto the table but prefer not to use their bed, this can be provided as well.
When you look into the benefits of geriatric massage, there are many. All of the benefits mentioned above can be obtained just from massage therapy. It can improve appetite, help with joint pain and stiffness, improve flexibility, and assist with loneliness and depression. This type of therapy can be a crucial factor in helping patients experiencing depression and loneliness. Having a session of massage can help them to know that someone is there for them, that they are cared for and worthy of being cared for and about. There are other intangible benefits of massage for the elderly, but this is a really important one. These benefits can include improved mood, improved digestion if abdominal massage is included (which can sometimes improve appetite), and it can also help them with cognitive issues due to the increased circulation in their system.
Helping Your Elderly Relatives Takes A Little Planning And Care With Big Benefits
Any of these smaller changes can be undertaken to help the elderly relative in your life. If it is you, then adopting the techniques discussed above can help you start feeling better right away. Improving your diet and leaving sedentariness behind is going to be an excellent way to start reaping the benefits of these changes.
If it is your relative, you can show them the studies and information related to this topic, and encourage them to make these changes. All of the official organizations recommend them, and it is rare to find scientific consensus on any topic. So adopting these techniques is likely to give them a boost and help them to have a more positive outlook and a longer and healthier life.
Photo by Gert Stockmans
