It’s perfectly normal for older people to experience some forms of anxiety, stress, anger or negative emotions as the body can undergo many changes. Nonetheless, not being in control of your own emotional health can be rather serious as it may lead to more serious issues. Here are some of the most commonly faced emotional issues in an elderly loved one.
Insomnia
Poor emotional health can cause problems in staying asleep throughout the night or even problems with falling asleep, which may result in insomnia. This mainly affects older adults compared to other age groups and this issue can be attributed to the increased levels of stress and anxiety. If you or a loved one is suffering from this issue, do consult a doctor regarding therapy or other possible solutions.
Anger Issues
While anger is usually due to a certain discomfort or pain, your loved one could also feel frustrated with their cognitive decline as they continue to age. This emotional stress derived from the inability to slow the aging process can result in anger issues. Help your loved one to focus on the positives rather than the negatives to boost their self-esteem level.
Stress Eating
A poor mental state can bring about poor eating habits that could be detrimental to overall health. You can help your loved one shed this negative habit by identifying the stress triggers in their life. And then develop a healthier way of managing their emotions like through painting or exercising instead.
Social Phobia
If older adults live alone, it could very well cause feelings of isolation which could result in poor emotional health. Issues like cognitive impairment or a lack of mobility can exacerbate the issues of isolation which can develop into social phobias. Your aging loved one could find it very difficult to stay motivated in being socially engaged.
Stress
The more stress your loved one is under, the more likely they will face challenges in concentrating and focusing. You can help them to manage their stress level by maintaining their emotional stimulation through exercise, playing brain games, and doing their favorite activities or hobbies.
Fearing a Loss of Cognitive Functions
With age, one’s cognitive abilities start to decline, making some daily living activities difficult without any form of assistance. Your loved one will naturally develop some fears and worries. You can help to address this by getting them to come to terms with the process of aging. You should continue motivating them to stay independent and healthy as long as they can.
If your loved one requires assistance with carrying out daily living activities, it could be time to make the move into a retirement community. Here at TerraBella Southern Pines, we have a range of senior living options that cater to assisted living and memory care. Our professional team is dedicated to providing the best personalized care and service for all our residents so they can live worry-free even after retirement. Contact us today if you have any questions!