Home Care Services: How Does Stress Impact Senior Citizens?

Home Care Services: Unfortunately, there are millions of elderly people who have a stress disorder.

Many others have stress that isn’t diagnosed as a disorder. This isn’t talking about normal stress that everyone experiences from time to time. It is talking about the stress that takes over their day or their life. As a family caregiver, it is helpful to learn how stress can impact senior citizens. The more you know about this, the more you and your home care services provider can see how vital it is to help your elderly loved one overcome the stress.

 

Home Care Services in Beech Grove IN: Senior Stress

Home Care Services in Beech Grove IN: Senior Stress

 

Weakened Immune System

One of the negative impacts of stress is a weakened immune system. It may be tough to see how these two things have anything to do with one another. However, studies show that people who are chronically stressed and more likely to be sick. The main reason for this is that stress puts a lot of strain on the body and causes, sometimes, severe fatigue. When a person’s body is drained of energy, it can’t properly fight off germs and other illnesses. For this reason, if you or a home care assistance provider notices your elderly loved one is stressed, do what you can to help them move past it.

Heart Problems

Your elderly loved one may experience heart problems if they are chronically stressed, as well. As mentioned above, when the body is under a lot of stress, it becomes weaker. On top of that, the more stress someone has the more adrenaline that is running through their body. Over time, the adrenaline puts a lot of pressure on the heart due to the increased heart rate and blood pressure. If your elderly loved one doesn’t get the stress under control, it could lead to heart disease or even a heart attack. If you or a home care provider suspect your elderly loved one is having heart issues due to high-stress levels, make sure they see their doctor very soon.

Digestive Health Issues

Another way that stress impacts the elderly is by causing digestive health issues. Most senior citizens who experience chronic stress will either become constipated or have chronic diarrhea. The body goes into fight or flight when it is under stress. When the body is in this state, the central nervous system gets confused and can send mixed messages to the other areas of the body including the digestive system. This is what causes the digestive issues just mentioned. If you or a home care services provider can help your elderly loved one to lower their stress, it could help to clear up these digestive problems.

Home Care Services: Conclusion

There are numerous ways that stress can negatively impact senior citizens. In regard to your elderly loved one’s care, it is vital that you try to work with them to lower their stress as soon as possible. It could help to prevent many health issues.

 

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

 

Sources
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/stress/index.shtml

Etelka Froymovich, RN, MHA
Latest posts by Etelka Froymovich, RN, MHA (see all)