Winter blues, especially after the holidays, are not an unheard-of condition. But if that’s something your senior is experiencing, it’s much better to do what you can to address the situation rather than try to ignore it and hope that it goes away.
Look at Possible Causes
Post-holiday depression can be caused by a variety of different issues, including the fact that the holidays are over. Many people find the letdown after such a festive time to be really difficult. If your elderly family member didn’t get to experience holidays the way she wanted to, that can also contribute. Loss is another possible cause, even if your elderly family member is dealing with old grief. One of the most common causes, though, is seasonal affective disorder, or SAD.
Talk to Her Doctor
Something else to consider is that your elderly family member may have underlying health issues that contribute to her depression. It’s a good idea to make an appointment with your senior’s doctor so that you can talk about what she’s experiencing and what might be a factor for her. There may be some solutions that her doctor can recommend that give her results quickly.
Consider Lifestyle Changes
It can also help to take a closer look at your elderly family member’s lifestyle habits. What kinds of foods is she eating? Is she exercising at all? And how much sleep is she getting? Answering these questions may help both you and her doctor to see where some little changes might give her bigger results than she might expect. With her doctor’s input, it may be a good idea to set up an initial plan for exercising and for eating nutrient-dense foods on a daily basis. Even something as simple as adding a vitamin D supplement daily can help.
Make Sure Your Senior Has Extra Help
Something else that can help is for your elderly family member to have some extra help with anything that has become more difficult for her. Senior care providers can take over some tasks and merely be there to assist with others. Talk to your senior about where she’s having trouble and what might help her the most.
Getting over the blues or full-blown depression isn’t necessarily easy. But giving your senior a plan that supports her can help to make that process a little bit easier for both of you and give your elderly family member some relief.
If you or an aging loved one is considering senior care in Highlands Ranch, CO, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY HomeCare today at 303-953-9924.
