When it comes to the well-being of your older loved ones, it’s crucial to include mental health in the conversation. Keep in mind that mental illnesses require as much medical care as much as physical ailments. While their physical health is a priority, you must invest in helping them with their mental health problems to improve their quality of life.
Maintaining a Sound Mind
To transition from being a contributor to society as a family member or part of the workforce to someone dependent on home health services isn’t easy to accept. Just imagine the reduced mobility, frailty, and other health problems associated with aging—several factors would severely impact one’s mental well-being.
From bereavement to the deterioration of their health, many things aren’t easy to deal with as you age. As such, some older adults may have a challenging time accepting the current state of their life and may even be in denial about their need for extra help, increasing the risk of developing mental disorders.
On top of other health conditions such as diabetes, osteoarthritis, and hearing loss, battling mental illnesses can significantly impact their daily lives. In many cases, poor mental health could lead to heart disease and other illnesses that could further risk their overall well-being.
How Therapy and Counseling Can Help
In providing home health services for your older loved ones, you must remember to consider providing them with professional mental health care. Of course, it’s always essential for them to have conversations with you and other family members, but a session with a therapist is different.
Sometimes, you need an expert who can offer help that family and friends can’t. Therapists have been professionally trained in listening to the worries of others and giving advice to help people get to the root of their problems and overcome emotional challenges.
When you provide your older loved one with a therapist, they can:
Feel Motivated to Make Positive Changes
Life is difficult, and more so, the older you get. However, just because you require home health care and your body isn’t what it was before doesn’t mean that you should accept that your remaining years should be dull and sad.
A therapist can help your older loved one fight apathy and encourage them to make healthier lifestyle choices. They may not be as independent as they were at the height of their youth, but a therapist can help them be more proactive about maintaining independence in other areas.
Overcome Grief
Just like how many of your friends and family seem to be getting married and having kids, your older loved one experiences multiple deaths in their circle of friends. As you age, the people they love and care about slowly die one by one until you realize you’re part of the very few who have survived the cruelty of time.
Grief is hard to work through, especially when you experience multiple losses in a short time. Although there’s no easy way to navigate through the feelings of grief, a therapist can give your older loved ones the tools they need to help them move forward.
Gradually Accept Assistance
It’s nice to receive help from time to time, but when you need assistance to go to the bathroom or take a walk, it may be more challenging to accept. When you’ve been independent for most of your life, it would be normal to resist elderly care. Call it pride,
With a therapist to work with your older loved one, they’ll be able to overcome the challenges and apprehension they’re experiencing that brought about this significant change. Eventually, with regular sessions, your older loved one will be able to accept assistance from healthcare providers with open arms.
Conclusion
Momentous life changes can make one feel happy and excited; others may cause uneasiness, sadness, and stress. Once your older loved one requires home health care, make sure to include psychological services as part of their care plan. When you work on improving their mental health together with their physical well-being, they’ll be able to live happily during their later years!
If you’re looking for the best and complete home health care services for your older loved one, our team at Bridge Home Health & Hospice may just be who you need! You can rely on our home health care agency to provide your loved one with the comfort they need, the convenience they want, and the treatment they deserve. Connect with us today to learn more!
