Coping Mechanisms for Depression in Aging Adults

Written By: Discovery Senior Living
Coping Mechanisms for Depression in Aging Adults

The World Health Organization reports that around 14% of people over the age of 60 experience a mental health condition. Depression is a mental condition that may threaten your elderly loved one's life if left untreated.

It affects senior mental health and even causes suicide. The good news is that there is a solution for depression in older adults.

LakeHouse Chippewa Falls, located at 2801 County Hwy I, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729, supports wellness in aging by helping seniors adopt effective coping mechanisms for depression. Let's unravel various mechanisms that can help your aging loved one overcome depression and enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

Building Social Connections

Staying socially connected helps you receive emotional support from family and friends. Socialization is a perfect way of overcoming loneliness and isolation.

Social connections enable older adults to forge new friendships. Good friends can help you or your elderly loved one overcome depression through the following:

  • Boosting your self-worth
  • Reducing stress and anxiety
  • Fostering a sense of identity
  • Offering support in challenging times
  • Promoting positive social interactions

LakeHouse Chippewa Falls offers a comfortable and safe environment for residents to interact. Our compassionate, dedicated staff offers quality assisted living care, ensuring residents can relax and enjoy peace of mind.

We will help your aging loved one with all daily activities that may cause stress and depression. These include:

  • Laundry
  • Toileting
  • Bathing
  • Grooming
  • Medication management

With our comprehensive care and support, residents are heard, valued, and understood. This is essential for combating feelings of sadness, worthlessness, and hopelessness.

Engaging in Healthy Physical Activities

Low-impact physical exercises stimulate the brain and trigger the release of neurotransmitters such as endorphins and serotonin. These neurotransmitters help alleviate stress and feelings of sadness by boosting your mood.

If you suffer from cancer, arthritis, or other chronic conditions leading to depression, these neurotransmitters can help reduce your perception of pain. They bind to the brain's opioid receptors, producing feelings of pleasure, which relieve stress and depression. This promotes wellness and emotional stability.

At LakeHouse Chippewa Falls, we integrate wellness into each resident's daily life. Bringing your loved one to our community allows them to participate in:

  • Yoga
  • Tai Chi
  • Fitness classes like chair aerobics
  • Group walking clubs
  • Dance nights
  • Card and board games
  • Group games like bingo

Seeking Professional Help

Sometimes, symptoms of depression in older adults worsen, affecting cognitive function and physical health. They increase the risk of physical health issues like:

  • Gastrointestinal issues like nausea
  • Chronic pain
  • Fatigue
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Sudden weight changes

Seeking help from a professional therapist can help alleviate depression before it causes these problems. Professional counselors offer emotional support to older adults.

They create a safe and confidential space to help open up about what you're going through. Seniors struggling with grief, fear of death or loneliness can speak up and feel relieved.

A counselor assesses senior mental health to determine potential causes of depression. These may include:

  • Loss of a spouse or a friend
  • Social isolation
  • Medication side effects, like changes in sleep patterns
  • Financial strain
  • Physical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, or thyroid disease

Some therapeutic strategies used by professional counselors to help seniors with depression include:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Group therapy
  • Problem-solving therapy
  • Reminiscence therapy
  • Interpersonal therapy

At LakeHouse Chippewa Falls, we have a dedicated and compassionate health and wellness team to monitor our residents. Your aging loved one will have access to quality medical support and professional mental health care. Our personalized care plans also include therapy referrals and medication management to help residents enjoy emotional wellness in aging.

Having a Structured Routine

A structured routine gives seniors struggling with depression a sense of predictability and purpose. Seniors can decide on the physical activities and events they want to participate in.

If your aging loved one feels helpless, a structured routine will give them a sense of self-control. This eliminates uncertainty and promotes normalcy, helping alleviate feelings of anxiety.

LakeHouse Chippewa Falls has a robust activity calendar to help each resident choose what they like. Our calendar has scheduled social and recreational programs, which include:

  • Outings to local restaurants
  • Educational classes
  • Mahjongg games
  • Movie nights
  • Bingo

Practicing Mindfulness and Meditation

Mindfulness and meditation elevate mood and foster positive emotions.. They help lower levels of stress hormones (cortisol), which cause stress.

Mindfulness and meditation reduce tendencies to dwell on past regrets and help you avoid worrying about death and other future uncertainties. You cherish and enjoy current friendships and other good moments.

Practicing mindfulness and meditation will help you become more aware of your negative emotions. You can observe and control your feelings to prevent chronic sadness or emotional outbursts.

Other ways these relaxation techniques help relieve depression in older adults include:

  • Fostering positive self-image
  • Improving sleep quality
  • Cultivating a sense of self-compassion
  • Improving focus
  • Enhancing pain management

Eating Healthy

A healthy diet helps improve senior mental health, gradually alleviating depression. A balanced nutrition can also stimulate an aging person's mood.

Omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins (B6, B12, and folate) help improve brain function and regulate mood. Foods such as salmon and sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. They can help prevent inflammation of brain tissues, which can lead to cognitive decline and depression.

Beef, legumes, and whole grains are rich in vitamin B. They stimulate the production of neurotransmitters that help regulate mood.

Assisted living care includes quality dining options, offering brain foods, such as:

  • Berries
  • Chocolate
  • Avocados
  • Eggs
  • Oily fish
  • Broccoli

Effective Coping Mechanisms for Depression: Finding Light in Later Life

Depression doesn't have to define your golden years. With the right coping mechanisms for depression, seniors can rediscover joy, purpose, and connection in their daily lives. If you or an aging loved one is struggling with depression, consider LakeHouse Chippewa Falls.

We offer a warm, compassionate environment located just a short drive from Eau Claire. In our New Castle restaurants, residents enjoy stylish dining options like Harborview Café, Golden Fork Bistro, and Hearthstone Café. Our neighborhood is the home of the Irvine Park, Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, and the annual Northern Wisconsin State Fair.

Call us today and let us become part of your support system.

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