Seniors who are battling depression may not tell their families how tough the struggle is. Many seniors think that some level of depression is just part of getting older so they may hesitate to speak up about what they’re going through. But depression isn’t just a part of getting older. Companion care at home services are a great way to make sure that your senior loved one has some support when they’re struggling.
Seniors who live alone and are aging in place have a higher risk of depression, especially if they have lost a spouse, a family member, or a good friend in the last year. If you suspect that your senior parent is depressed or if your senior parent has been diagnosed with depression there are some things that you can do to support them and help them manage their depression such as:
Companion Care At Home
If you can’t visit your senior parent every day because you live far away or you work full-time, companion care at home means that your senior loved one won’t be alone. A companion will be there on a set schedule to hang out with your senior parent, do activities with them, and have conversations with them. With companion care at home, your senior loved one will have the social support they need to manage their depression.
A Daily Check In
Another easy way to provide support to a parent struggling with depression is to have a daily check-in call or video chat. Even if you just talk for five minutes that five-minute call or quick video chat so that your senior loved one can see you will mean the world to them. Seniors who are struggling with depression depend on things like those calls to give them a reason to get up each day.
Encouraging Them To Make New Friends
Seniors who are aging in place may need some extra motivation to go out and meet new friends. Find some information on classes, groups, and activities at the local senior center or in nearby towns, and encourage your senior loved one to go and meet other seniors. A companion can even take them to these events so that they don’t need to worry about transportation. When your senior parent is socializing and making new friends it will expand their support network and give them a new lease on life.
Helping Them Adopt A Pet
Adopting a senior pet can change a senior’s life. Senior dogs and cats are fantastic companions for seniors because just like other seniors they like to take life slow and enjoy a good nap. Having a pet will give your senior parent a sense of purpose and the unconditional love that can transform their lives. And having to get up to take care of a pet can motivate a senior who is struggling with depression when nothing else will. Take your senior parent to a shelter today to see if they bond with a new furry friend.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/aging/depression/index.html
