Aging can bring you down, and no one would ever dream of telling you that getting older isn’t hard; but feelings of sadness or depression don’t need to be accepted. Caregivers and family members can help to boost senior morale with the following tips:

1. Encourage physical activity – exercise releases hormones which can help stave off depression. Instead of sitting around at home during a visit with a senior, go out for a walk or pick another activity that’s well suited to the senior’s physical capabilities.

2. Create social situations – the best way to boost senior morale and prevent loneliness is to get them involved in social situations. Invite your senior to a party or encourage them to join a social activity.

3.  Help maintain a healthy diet – studies have proven that a well-balanced diet can prevent depression, so keep your senior’s fridge well stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables.

4. Offer support – if your efforts just don’t seem to boost your senior’s morale or they continue to struggle with elderly depression, make sure they know you are willing to listen to anything on their mind. If they aren’t comfortable talking with a friend or family member, encourage them to speak with a counselor or join a support group for seniors.

5. Encourage their hobbies – while some seniors may withdraw from activities they enjoy, encourage your senior to keep them up or find some new things that interest him/her.

6. Improve the living space – if your senior spends a lot of time in his/her home, even if it’s in an assisted living facility, personalize the space to help them feel comfortable. Photos, décor in their favorite colors and other personal comforts will help seniors feel like they belong there!

Sources:

1. Senior Journal: Kara Gavin
2. Everyday Health

Home Care Florida and Senior Home Care Florida provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City, St. Augustine, Tallahassee, Destin, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 850-243-6464.

Home Care Florida provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 904-794-9450.

3 Tools for Successfully Communicating with Aging Adults by Jake Harwood

In a sense, communication is no more or less important between Baby Boomers and aging parents than it is in any other relationship.

It’s significant that people are now paying attention to these issues. It’s unfortunate that for too many years seniors have been ignored, but finally, efforts like Home Instead Senior Care’s research are attempting to uncover the kinds of information we need for society to include and embrace people of all ages.

I was surprised by the “role” issues that emerged in Home Instead Senior Care‘s study, and I think this is a unique contribution of this research: namely, it uncovered the fact that nearly one-third of adults in the U.S. have a major communication obstacle with their parents stemming from continuation of the “parent-child role.”

It appears that some seniors may be dealing with their grown sons or daughters as if they’re children rather than mature adults and perhaps some adult children may be having trouble adjusting to the idea of occupying a more equal role in interactions with their parents.

So, what are some ways to surmount those obstacles?

1) Be aware of simple techniques and treatments

The most obvious is hearing aids. Older adults need to know about developments in hearing-aid technology.

2) Seek medical attention, if necessary

There are specific strategies for communication that can be very helpful with people who have Alzheimer’s disease, for instance, but they are fairly specific based on the disorder.

3) Be aware of assumptions

For younger people, that means simply being cognizant of the need to treat older adults as people and not as stereotypes.

Home Instead Senior Care’s research has revealed that “living” issues, such as the senior parent not being able to remain at home any longer, lead the list as the most difficult topics to discuss for Baby Boomer children.

Jake Harwood (jharwood@u.arizona.edu) is professor of communication and former director of the Graduate Program in Gerontology at the University of Arizona. His research focuses on communication and aging.

Image: pro.corbis.com