HEALTH

Top Tips for Stress in Older People

Although you might believe that stress belongs to the working-age groups alone, this is not the case, and many older people also suffer from stress. Stress can be extremely difficult for older people to cope with, especially if they feel isolated or alone with their worries. So, here are some of the best top tips about how you can cope with stress as an older person or help someone that you love to reduce the amount of stress in their lives.

·       Choose a Senior Living Facility

Although moving house can be stressful in itself, a move to a senior living facility can be more advantageous than not for the senior in your life in the long run. Moving to a senior living facility can help to reduce the amount of stress that your older relative or friend has to deal with as they will be able to stay safe in the knowledge that someone is on hand at all times to help them with anything that they struggle with, or to care for them in an emergency. Not only this but facilities that provide senior living NJ also usually offer housekeeping, transport, and laundry services, meaning that your loved one does not have to be concerned about any of the tasks that cause them a great deal of stress, for reasons such as a lack of mobility.

·       Stay Active

Leading a sedentary lifestyle can lead to an increase in stress, and yet many older people do not exercise for the amount of time that they should, whether this is due to certain medical conditions preventing them from doing this or because they might have no one to exercise with. However, you must exercise regularly as an older person, even if you just perform mild exercises, such as gardening or walking. This can help to refresh your mind and can allow you to sort through and compartmentalize your worries. It also releases endorphins around your body, which are known to boost your mood and reduce stress.

·       Get the Right Medical Treatment

However, having to cope with difficult medical conditions can lead to stress for elderly people, especially if their conditions affect their ability to enjoy a great quality of life. Then, you should make sure either you or a loved one can get the medical treatment that you need by looking for a doctor that you trust, getting a second opinion, and ensuring that you visit the doctor if you begin to show signs of illness or symptoms that could indicate an underlying health condition. You might also have to try different treatments before you find the right one for you.

·       Socialize

Staying alone in your house all day does no wonders for stress and can amplify your worries, giving you too much time to dwell on certain issues. Therefore, you should make sure that you stay social as much as possible, whether you invite your family or friends for a visit, sign up for coffee and chat schemes in your local area, or join clubs where you can discuss your hobbies and interests with other people.