How to Help Your Elderly Loved One Reduce the Risk of Depression

Are you worried that your elderly loved one might become depressed? Maybe there is a family history of depression. If you are concerned about your elderly loved one’s mental health, there are some ways that you can help them to reduce the risk of becoming depressed. While doing these things won’t guarantee that your elderly loved one will never become depressed, they can help with the prevention of this condition.

Preparing for Life Changes

One of the many things that can cause an elderly adult to become depressed is life changes. For instance, when someone retires, this can cause them to become depressed. Other elderly adults become depressed if they have to move out of their long-time home, so they can downsize due to finances or another reason. If you can help your elderly loved one to prepare for life changes, particularly the ones that they can’t control, this could help to reduce their risk of becoming depressed.

Engaging in Social Connections

As your loved one gets older, they need to maintain their social connections. Many elderly adults will stop socializing or at least socialize less often as they get older. This is one of the things that could cause depression. It is important that you encourage your elderly loved one to continue their social connections. Even if they can’t physically visit with their family members and friends, they can video chat or call each other. You can help your elderly loved one to stay connected by calling them at least twice every week. You can also hire an elder care provider to stay with them a couple days or more a week.

Encouraging Physical Activity

Many elderly adults will sit around and not do much at all. Living a sedentary lifestyle can cause depression. If you want to help your elderly loved one reduce their risk of becoming depressed, you need to encourage them to do physical activities regularly. If your elderly loved one can exercise at least 3 times every week, this could reduce their risk of depression quite significantly.

These are some of the best ways that you can help your elderly loved one to reduce their risk of depression. While there are many things that could cause someone to become depressed, following these tips can give your elderly loved one a better, happier, and more content lifestyle. If your elderly loved one is already experiencing some depression that isn’t controlled or managed, having them see their doctor may be the right option.

Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC474733/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2860146/