What You Need to Know about Mental Illness and Aging Adults

There are a wide range of mental health issues your senior might face. What’s important is that you tackle what you can in the ways that you can. You’re going to need some help along the way.

 

Caregiver in Southport IN: Mental Illness and Aging Adults

Caregiver in Southport IN: Mental Illness and Aging Adults

 

Build a Strong Relationship with Her Doctors

One of the most important tools you have in your corner could be the relationships you build with your senior’s doctors. They can help you to understand what’s going on with her mental health as well as her physical health. They can also help you to see when one is affecting the other.

 

Make Sure You’re Keeping up with Medications

Depending on the type of mental illness your senior is dealing with, there may be a variety of medications she’s taking. She may also be taking medications for physical health issues. All of these medications have side effects and may interact with each other in ways that are tough to understand at first. Her doctors can help you to understand what to look for and what problems could arise due to medications.

 

Track Symptoms and What Works

Something else to consider is creating a log or journal to track your senior’s symptoms so you can keep up with what helps and what doesn’t. For instance, some foods, food additives, and other things, like rest, can all help or hinder her mental health. When you’re tracking that information, it’s easier to start seeing patterns.

 

Keep the Lines of Communication Open

Talk to your senior about what she feels helps and what doesn’t. It’s easy to overlook that aspect of her care, but when you keep her as involved as possible, you remind her that you care what she’s thinking and feeling. She might be more willing to help you if she feels that you’re doing all that you can to ensure she’s got what she needs.

 

Take Care of Yourself

It’s always important that you’re taking care of yourself as a caregiver. But as a caregiver for someone who has mental health concerns, it’s even more important. It might be a good idea to hire home care providers and to ensure that you’re taking regular time away as much as you can. Prioritize your self-care so that you can keep being there for your senior.

Your elderly family member’s mental illness may change depending on her health and on so many other variables. Do what you can to keep up with everything that’s going on.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring a Caregiver in Southport, IN, please call the caring staff at Home Services Unlimited. Serving Greater Indianapolis Area. Call for Immediate Info & Assistance: (317) 471-0760

Etelka Froymovich, RN, MHA
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