March 24, 2022
Depression is never fun. If this is what your elderly loved one is experiencing, they might be feeling very alone, especially if nobody realizes it. Sometimes, it can be hard for a person who is feeling so down to admit they need help. However, if you or your home care services provider can learn to recognize depression in your elderly loved ones and talk to them about it, they might be more willing to open up to you about it.
Two of the signs that your elderly loved one may be depressed is they are experiencing increased fatigue. Everything exhausts them and even just sitting there can cause tiredness. Your elderly loved one may have sleep problems, as well. If you or a home care provider notice your elderly loved one is sleeping much more than usual, it could be a sign of depression. If these things are going on with your elderly loved one, it would be a good idea to approach the topic lightly, but discuss it with them in length. Finding out what is going on can help you and you’re elderly loved one to put a plan in action to get treatment for the issue.
If your elderly loved one is depressed, they might feel sad and hopeless all the time. If they are good at hiding how they are feeling, you may see them smile and laugh. However, underneath those fake happy feelings, they may be feeling very down and blue. If you do notice that your elderly loved one is feeling sad and hopeless, don’t just ignore it or treat it as a phase. Sit down and talk to them about their feelings. Find out why they feel this way, so something can be done to change it.
Depression can also cause someone to have no pleasure in activities or hobbies. Have you recently noticed that your elderly loved one no longer likes to take part in their hobbies? For example, if they were keeping a garden going for the past few years, but it started to die off this year, that could be a result of depression. If this is something you notice in your elderly loved one, speak to them about it. Find out if they just don’t like that activity or hobby anymore or if it is depression.
These are some of the signs that your elderly loved one might be depressed. Now that you know about these signs, you can look for them right now in your elderly loved one. If they are going on, it would be a good idea to approach the subject carefully, but directly. Your elderly loved one may not come to you about the depression, but if you go to them and say you understand, they may be more willing to open up about how they are feeling now and in the future, as well.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care Services in Squirrel Hill, PA, please contact the caring staff at In-Home Quality Care today. Serving the Greater Pittsburgh Area since 1990! Call412-421-5202
Sources
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/depression-and-older-adults
