Depression hits millions of people around the world every single day. Unfortunately, depression has no boundaries. It can hit people of all ages, even the elderly adults that you love. There are certain symptoms you should watch out for to tell if your loved one is depressed or not.
Home Health Care in Chester PA: Senior Depression
If you recognize these symptoms, you will want to see what you can do for your loved one.
Energy Loss
One of the first signs of depression that you might see in your elderly adult is energy loss. If your loved one used to be full of energy and now they are sitting around not doing much at all. They may even say they have no energy. This could be a sign of depression or a number of other things, as well. You should have them checked out by their doctor to see what is causing their lack of energy.
Withdrawal and Lack of Interest
Do you notice that your loved one is withdrawing from their loved ones and friends? Maybe they aren’t saying hello to their neighbors like they used to. Do you notice that your loved one doesn’t seem interested in activities they once enjoyed? If so, they could be depressed. You might notice they have no hobbies anymore. If you notice these signs in your elderly loved one, talk to them to see what is going on. They might need to get treatment for their depression.
Memory Lapses
Memory lapses are other symptoms of depression that you might notice in your elderly loved one. However, you should be very careful with this symptom as it could be a sign of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, or normal aging, as well.
Issues with Eating and Sleeping
Have you noticed that your elderly loved one isn’t eating as well as they used to? Maybe they are even eating way more than they used to. Do you notice they are sleeping much more than usual? Maybe they are staying in bed for hours longer than they used to or sleeping during the day in addition to the night. These signs could signify that your loved one has depression.
Neglecting Physical Appearance
Is your elderly loved one neglecting their physical appearance? Is their hair or body disheveled? If so, this could mean that your elderly loved one is depressed. You or their caregivers might want to get them in to see a doctor about their depression.
Preoccupied with Pains
Is your loved one constantly talking about or focusing on their aches and pains? Does this take over conversations or seem to take over their life? If so, they could be depressed. This is especially true if there is no medical cause for these aches and pains.
These are some of the signs that your elderly loved one might be depressed. If you notice any signs of depression in your elderly loved one, don’t ignore them. Talk to your loved one and see what you can do to help them.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Health Care in Chester, PA, please talk to the caring staff at Better Care Home Health Services LLC today. Serving individuals and their families in Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery and Bucks counties. Call Today: (267) 766-5218
Sources
Nimh.nih.gov
Mentalhealth.gov
Psychiatry.org
Better Care Home Health Services is a family-owned agency dedicated to providing excellent and comprehensive home health care to individuals and families of Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery and Bucks counties. We are honored that God has blessed us with the opportunity to positively impact and change people’s lives. It is our mission to ensure that we provide the very best of care to our clients.
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