Loneliness and social isolation are two of the biggest mental health concerns for aging adults. As your loved one ages, they may not be able to visit friends and family as easily and may also experience the loss of elderly friends.

Worsening health issues and mobility problems can contribute to feelings of depression, anxiety, and loss of independence. However, there are some ways that you and your loved one’s senior care specialist can help your loved one improve their mental health.

Here are some small daily habits that can boost the mental health of an aging loved one.

Invest in Technology That Makes It Easier to Stay Connected

One of the most helpful things that you or your elder care specialist can do for an elderly loved one who is feeling isolated or lonely is to find ways to make it easier for them to stay connected.

There are a lot of tech tools that can be used to connect with family and friends in the same state or even in different countries.

You can help your loved one by setting up the technology, making sure all of the settings are correct, and giving your loved one a simplified tutorial on how to use it.

Try to set it up so that your loved one only has to do one or two things to connect so that they won’t have to remember a lot of different steps.

Whenever possible, help your loved one use the tech to get connected. Some examples of senior-friendly technology for communicating with loved ones are:

Video calling applications like FaceTime or Zoom
Tablets and smartphones like the Jitterbug smartphone or GrandPad
Social media like Facebook and Instagram
Voice-activated smart home devices like Amazon Echo Show and Google Nest

Encourage Regular Physical Activity

Another great way to help your loved one beat the blues is to encourage light physical activity each day. Do your research on safe, low-impact physical activities that are recommended for seniors.

Some examples are walking, gardening, water aerobics, dancing, and yoga. Encourage your loved one to spend at least 20 minutes outside each day.

Whether it is sitting on a bench in the sun, taking a short walk, or doing some gardening, being in the sun can boost vitamin D levels and reduce the risk of depression and anxiety.

Improve Sleep Habits

If your loved one isn’t getting enough sleep, try to find out why. Lack of sleep can increase the risk of physical and mental health issues, including mood swings, irritability, anxiety, and depression.

Talk to your loved one’s physician about any physical issues that could be affecting their ability to sleep so that you can find safe solutions. Other tips for improving your elderly loved one’s sleep habits are:

Discourage daytime napping.
Create a comfortable sleep environment that is quiet, cool, and dark.
Encourage them to stick to a consistent sleep routine.
Remove distractions from the bedroom, such as televisions and radios.
Encourage light exercise and a healthy meal plan during the day.
Make sure their bed and bedroom are safe, comfortable, and accessible.
Help them avoid caffeine and alcohol.
Don’t serve large meals near bedtime.

Practice Stress-Management Techniques

If your loved one is experiencing stress, anxiety, or mood swings, encourage them to practice stress-management techniques. Some senior-friendly ways to reduce stress are:

Taking walks
Journaling or scrapbooking
Practicing light stretching or yoga
Engaging in conversation or talking about feelings and concerns
Spending time in the sun
Swimming or water aerobics
Practicing mindfulness or meditation
Spending time with friends and family
Taking care of or playing with an animal
Enjoying hobbies or interests

Following a Healthy Diet and Staying Hydrated

Your loved one’s diet plays a huge role in their mental health. A high carbohydrate diet that includes a lot of refined sugar and flour may make them sluggish, depressed, and overweight.

Help your loved one follow a healthy diet that is rich in lean proteins, green leafy vegetables, fruit, fiber, whole grains, and low-fat dairy. Discourage them from drinking a lot of caffeine and alcohol as well as sugary beverages.

Instead, encourage them to drink water or beverages like iced tea, low-sugar or no-sugar fruit juice, and sparkling water.

Pursuing Hobbies and Interests

Encouraging your loved one to pursue their hobbies and interests will keep their mind active and reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

Taking part in hobbies can also elevate your loved one’s mood and lower their risk of depression.

Find senior clubs or groups that are devoted to your loved one’s favorite activities, whether it’s playing games, knitting, scrapbooking, baking, bird watching, sports, music, or vintage cars.

Give them rides to and from their group meetings or go to the meetings with them. You can also encourage them to take up new hobbies like painting or learning a new language.

Express Gratitude and Avoid Negative Spirals

Elderly people are more prone to negative spirals. This means cycling through the same negative thought patterns and behaviors over and over again.

The risk is higher if your loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Encourage your loved one to take time each day to reflect on things that they are grateful for.

This can help them reduce negative thoughts and reinforce positive ones. You should also guide them in identifying and reframing negative thoughts so that they have less power.

Seek Professional Support

As much as you want to help your loved one, there may come a point where they are better off seeking professional support.

A counselor, therapist, psychiatrist, spiritual leader, or physician can help identify the underlying reasons for your loved one’s mental health symptoms.

Some signs that you should consider mental health support for your elderly loved one are:

Loss of interest in hobbies
Withdrawal from social activities or family events
Trouble speaking, communicating, or following conversations
Death of a family member, loved one, or pet
Changes in mood
Decreased appetite or weight gain or loss
Lack of personal grooming or hygiene
Increased mess or clutter in the home or inability to keep up with housework
Expressions of hopelessness, discouragement, isolation, loneliness, or sadness
Medication mismanagement
Malnutrition or inability to prepare meals or maintain a regular meal schedule
Trouble performing routine tasks
Mobility problems, increase in falls or accidents around the house, or unexplained bruising or injuries
Complaints of aches, pains, headaches, trouble sleeping, or other physical maladies
Increased forgetfulness or memory problems

Hire an In-Home Caregiver

An in-home caregiver can provide your loved one with companionship and conversation. They can participate in hobbies and activities with your loved one, or provide transportation to senior events in the community.

They can also offer assistance with the activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, grooming, meal preparation, medication reminders, grocery shopping, and light housework.

Your loved one’s caregiver will work closely with you and your loved one’s physician to develop a care plan that keeps your loved one safe, healthy, and happy in the comfort of their own home.

At Placita In Home Care, we offer highly personalized home care services that can be tailored to your loved one’s specific needs and preferences. To schedule a consultation for in-home care in the Tucson or Phoenix metro area, call us today or fill out our contact form online.