During the month of May, people from across the country come together to recognize Mental Health Awareness Month. This is when countless associations and groups call for better care and attention to be given to mental health.
So, our team at Home Care Associates felt it essential to remind everyone that regardless of age, we all share the same need to care for our mental health. In fact, mental health struggles are a significant problem for elderly individuals and are sadly often overlooked or ignored.
Impact of Mental Health on Seniors
As people age, multiple factors begin to weigh on their mental health. Aging bodies physically can’t do as much as they used to. Memory troubles become more prevalent as we get older. The friends and family around them who are aging may pass away. When all of these start happening at the same time, it can mentally take a toll on a person.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and Dr. Dan Brennan with WebMD provided several statistics to relay the way mental health affects seniors, adults who are 60 years of age or older:
- 1 in 4 seniors has mental health struggles.
- 5% – 7% of seniors suffer from depression or dementia.
- 3.8% of seniors suffer from anxiety.
Improving Mental Health for Seniors
It is important to remember that if you are unaware of a problem, you can’t help. Therefore, make time to sit with your aging loved ones and give them a space to be honest with you about how they are feeling. Let them know that you are there to help alleviate the burdens they are experiencing.
After talking with your loved one, some of the things you can do to help include:
- Figuring out the most significant factors adding to their struggles
- Offering to make and attend doctor’s appointments
- Spending more time visiting with them in person
Finding Peace with Home Care Associates
It is incredibly difficult to see someone you love and look up to struggling with their mental health. Unfortunately, while mental health is still very under-discussed, the topic of its prevalence in the senior population is even more scarce. At Home Care Associates, we work to achieve complete wellness for our clients, including their mental health. Our caregivers want their clients to be fully healthy and happy and are ready to do all they need to make that happen.
If someone you love needs in-home assistance from a company that cares about their emotional wellness, Home Care Associates is right for you. So, give us a call today at (205) 206-9594 to hear how we can help you and your family.