Causes for Seasonal Depression in Elderly Adults
While there are some people who suffer from chronic depression, there are others who get seasonal depression. If you are caring for an elderly adult it is important that you learn more about the causes of seasonal depression. This could help you to prevent this type of depression. While you won’t have full control over it, there are some things you can do to help the elderly adult in your life to feel better.
Getting the Winter Blues
Homecare Jenison, MI: Seasonal Depression and Seniors
One of the main causes of seasonal depression is getting the winter blues. Depending on where your elderly loved one lives, the weather can hit them pretty hard. Snowy and icy weather can be cold and depressing. If there isn’t much sunlight, this can be even worse. Those who get the winter blues are often diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder. Some people are able to get through this on their own, while others need medical help. If your elderly loved one isn’t getting through it well, you or their home care provider can take them to the doctors to get checked out. Treatment might be needed.
Being Isolated
Is your elderly loved one isolated a lot? Have they been seeing less and less of people as they get older? This could be another reason for seasonal depression. During the summer, their friends and family members may be traveling. During the winter, the roads might be too bad for many people to come and visit. Feeling isolated can surely make anyone feel depressed. While there isn’t too much that can be done about this, you could always hire more home care providers to come to spend time with your elderly loved one to make them feel better.
Dealing with Grief and A Loss
Has your loved one been dealing with grief due to a loss of a loved one or friend? This can cause quite a bit of depression. It can be difficult to move past the loss of a loved one or a friend. Many people find that this hits harder in the winter because they are sitting home more often and have more time to think and grieve. If your elderly loved one is dealing with seasonal depression due to a loss, just do all that you can to be there for them. It takes time to heal.
Experiencing Health Issues
Your loved one might also be dealing with seasonal depression because of health issues. If they are experiencing a wide variety of health issues or chronic pain, this could cause seasonal depression. It can be even worse if your loved one is missing out on family activities and events due to their health issues.
These are some of the causes of seasonal depression. If your elderly loved one is experiencing this type of depression, be there for them as much as you can. If they still don’t seem to get through this stage in their life, have them visit their doctor to see what treatments might be needed.
If you or someone you know needs help with Homecare in Jenison, MI, contact Gauthier Family Home Care. We provide quality and affordable home care services in our community. Call us at (616) 258-2300 for more information.
Sources
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/seasonal-affective-disorder/index.shtml
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