How do You Help a Depressed Elder?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) more than 15% of elderly people above the age of 60  suffer from a mental disorder. Depression is the most commonly occurring mental disorder in almost every senior. Unfortunately, depression is often underdiagnosed and untreated. The cause of depression among seniors can be many like their children, due to better job prospects have settled abroad and they are living alone or they are suffering from some chronic health diseases like cancer and sometimes the untimely loss of a loved one can also be a cause of depression among the seniors.

Today I am going to share some steps which you can follow to help depressed elders so that they can lead a normal and comfortable life.

  ⇒  Proper counseling by a good psychiatrist along with antidepressant medicines can help our seniors with depressions. The counseling can help in understanding the root cause of depression which will make the treatment easier because medications often work best when talk therapy is used in addition to the medication. Also the Professional psychotherapists can be hired at home to provide proper counselling  to the seniors.

  ⇒  Spend quality time with your beloved seniors so that they don’t feel left out and ignored. Loneliness and feeling neglected or unwanted are also some of the major causes of depression among seniors. I know very well that we all have job commitments that we need to fulfill sincerely but spending some time with our beloved elders is also very much required to keep them healthy, happy and comfortable. Discuss family matters with them, encourage them to give their opinion on family matters. Make them feel special on their birthdays and anniversaries. Plan surprise outings for them during weekends you can also arrange classic movie nights at your house for your beloved seniors and their friends along with snacks and food. If you live abroad then make sure to call them daily or at least during the weekends. 

  ⇒  Encourage your beloved seniors to take up hobbies like gardening, painting or if they are interested in cooking and baking they can try their hands in cooking some special dishes or baking their favorite cakes and cookies. This will help them to feel relaxed and happy. 

  ⇒  Also, make sure seniors socialize to keep themselves stress-free and happy. Encourage your seniors for morning or evening walks if they don’t have any major health issues that restrict movements. This will not only help in taking care of their beloved heart and body but also they can make new friends with whom they can share their thoughts which will help them to overcome loneliness and depression. 

These are some of the steps you can undertake to help your beloved seniors to overcome depression and lead a happy and healthy life. Nowadays there are so many elder care service providers in Kolkata who provides professional care services for seniors at home. So, if you are staying in abroad and tensed for your elderly parents you can easily choose the best from them.