Seniors who live alone may not necessarily be lonely, but if your senior is isolating herself, loneliness is a likely culprit. It’s vital to assess the situation and put together a plan that meets your elderly family member’s needs in terms of companionship and socialization. Recognizing the major symptoms that can indicate when your elderly family member is battling loneliness is really important.
How She Cares for Herself Seems to Be Changing
Whether you live near your senior or not, it is important to watch for signs that self-care is changing for her. Video calling on a regular basis is one way to keep tabs on this, but if you hire home care assistance for your elderly family member, they can help you to spot changes in her care habits. Losing or gaining weight without trying, changing clothing or grooming habits, and letting routines go are all signs that your senior might be having trouble.
She’s Experienced a Loss
Loss of any kind is never easy, but if your elderly family member has recently experienced a loss, she may start to withdraw. Talk to your senior about how she’s feeling and how she’s dealing with her grief and feelings of loss. Everyone who experiences loss is going to have both good days and bad days, so keep that in mind as you work out ways to try to help her with her feelings.
You’re Noticing Mood and Behavior Changes
A third big sign that your elderly family member may be experiencing loneliness could be behavioral and mood changes that seem to be coming out of the blue. If she’s usually talkative and now isn’t or she’s experiencing mood swings, it might be time to delve a little deeper into what is happening with her. Some of these changes can be related to health issues as well, so it can be important to try to figure out what’s behind them.
Help You Can Provide
If you suspect that your elderly family member is battling loneliness, there are some things that you can do for her. Staying in close contact is a good way to keep up with changes and symptoms. Finding ways to help your elderly family member to continue hobbies that she enjoys is another powerful way for her to reconnect to the world around her. Living farther away from your senior can make this all feel more complicated.
Consider Home Care Assistance
Home care providers can be an excellent solution for seniors who are battling loneliness. They can assist your elderly family member with any tasks that are becoming more difficult, while also offering companionship to her at the same time. This can also be a fantastic way to ensure that you’ve got eyes on what is happening with your elderly family member on a daily basis.
Everyone encounters loneliness at one point or another. What matters is that you and your senior put together a plan that helps her to manage lonely feelings and resolve them, if at all possible.
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE IS CONSIDERING HIRING HOME CARE ASSISTANCE IN PALO ALTO, CA, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT HOME HELPERS TODAY (408) 317-4969.
