Growing older is simply one of the natural stages in life however it brings along a number of hurdles with it, mental well being is one of them. Most of the times, mental health is ignored and not given as much priority, but it require equal effort if not more. It’s true that mental health does not only revolve around serious illnesses such as depression or anxiety, but is also able to provide someone with a sense of belonging and purpose while encouraging them to live life to the fullest.
In this blog not only will I be discussing why mental health should be prioritized, but also how to incorporate a healthy practice and management for when you get older and mature. Through simple changes in one’s routine, apps, and more, this article contains great material to support you in your older years.
Mental health and Aging
Why Do Seniors Have A Tougher Time Maintaining Mental Health?
Mental health is fundamental for people as it determines their emotions, thoughts and actions through out their life. In many cases, it also defines how someone decides to cope with stressful situations. Opting to think positively and maintain a healthy outlook are some of the best ways to evolve one’s headspace. However, an individual must ensure they start caring for their mental state as a teenager themselves, as ignoring it can have dire consequences.
For elderly individuals, retiring, watching a loved one die, waiting to have great physical capability can lead to melancholy, which can later manifest into depression.
Common Mental Health Issues in Seniors
While aging does not imply that a person must suffer from poor mental health, there are certain challenges that are predisposed in the advanced stage of life:
Depression frequently occurs after the loss of a partner and other significant life events and can be common undiagnosed health condition.
Anxiety can exist because of health issues that arise while getting older or due to the thought of becoming a burden on others.
Cognitive Decline, for example, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, contribute to a gradual loss of memory and cognitive learning.
Such problems not only interfere with emotional well-being, but may also affect physical health as well as relationships.
Lifestyle Changes for Better Mental Health
Boost Your Mental and Physical Wellness with Exercise
Employing bodily exercise aids does not only help the body, but quite literally helps with improving one’s mood. Exercise is said to release endorphins, improve mental functions, and help avoid diseases associated with declining mental health, for instance, Alzheimer’s disease. Other activities such as walking, doing yoga, or even tai chi serves the dual purpose of having one’s mind and body catered for at the same time.
Food as Fuel for Your Brain
Your supermarket of choice profoundly affects the equilibrium of both your body and mind. Fish, berries, and nuts contain Omega-3 and antioxidants that are known to be good for the body. You can also try adjusting your diet plan to the Mediterranean diet that consists of grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats.
Strengthen Social Bonds
Social attachments are a great support system in improving mental health. People who take part in physical or other activities with family, friends, and people from the community are less likely to experience loneliness and feeling secluded. Volunteering, joining a book club and learning something new in a group enhances one’s mind and creates good relationships as well.
Coping with Common Mental Health Issues
Reduce Stress and Practice Mindfulness Techniques
Stress over a prolonged period degrades overall health and can be chancey for you especially when you grow old. Mind-fullness along with breathing exercises, progressive relaxation of muscles, and meditation can substantially improve focus and achieve a calm mental state.
Do Not Hesitate To Seek Help When Required
Such activities should not be stigmatized. It can be as simple as consulting with a licensed therapist, participating in online meetings for counseling, or going to a doctor for some prescription drugs — all of such professional support could work wonders. Therapies, specifically, CBT therapy, has been effective in controlling the symptoms of anxiety and depression in the elderly population.
Develop Resilience And Harness Optimism
Mental resilience is another key attribute which makes people stand up again after falling. It all begins with a gratitude exercise where instead of focusing on what is lost, focus on what can still be achieved. A mind that creates or indulges itself in creativity, or the performance of entertaining activities in hobbies that include gardening, painting, or maintaining a journal finds purpose and achievement.
Technology and Mental Health for Elders
Technology as a Means of Mental Wellbeing in the Elderly
It is a fact that the advancement of technology devices has made it easier for elder people to look after their mental health issues. elder apps such as calm, headspace assist users in are able to through stress and meditation exercises. Dramatic programs like Lumosity or Peak present memory games and brain training app in order to preserve cognitive functions.
The Pros and The Cons Of Tech Solutions
Pros:
An increase in accessibility to mental health support through the use of online therapies.
The ability to have Zoom calls with family members who live far away.
Health-related tools such as wearables that monitor mental and physical activity levels.
Challenges – As Soomin underscores, ‘youth do not have a monopoly over technological tools, elders have them too; however, they have an incomplete understanding of how to properly and advantageously make use of these tools.’ – which highlights quite a significant barrier in using technology in an older demographic. For instance, seniors often need a bit of assistance when it comes to understanding how to operate a new gadget. These quotes raise a very important point: overcoming these barriers can have a very positive impact on successfully applying technology. Also, the exacting one would like to ask Soomin is about the readiness of seniors to engage in Mhealth for managing their mental health.
Technological innovation for mental health is about how to use the integration of technology into the personal mental health care strategy more effectively. It’s an acceptance of the notion that mental health in older adults is a development process much like physical health.
When reaching a particular age, it is crucial to be able to put adequate resources in. Otherwise, all the previous effort would have been in vain, Soomin concludes: therefore, the last step should also be to teach seniors how to protect their mental health by integrating technology into their lives. Doing that I believe not only the care of elderly, accompaniments to integrate technology into lives of elderly and caregivers of elderly, but even the elderly themselves should take the initiative.
Be sure to check out these well-chosen resources on mental well-being developed for older adults and caregivers, and Before expanding on that, one should put emphasis on the importance of Elder intervention first. Age should not be a barrier; even the elderly suffering from living alone, be it a caregiver or another family member, or a senior citizen concerned about their own well-being, make mental health a routine priority by focusing on providing the right ideas and strategies.
