Caring for a senior with Depression

As a caregiver to a senior citizen with depression, it can be difficult to find what is in their best interest at times. Lincoln home care has shown that keeping an elderly person with depression occupied can be the best form of treatment. An elderly person has gone through many life changes as they've reached their golden years. Having a busy home and career has kept them occupied for their entire adult lives. Caring for children, planning vacations, and going to work has kept their mind working and active, but now that their lives have slowed down, they may not know how to adapt properly.

Lincoln Home Health Care states that it is important to stimulate the minds of elderly people in order to keep them as sharp as possible. Outdoor activities that involve animals are a great way to brighten the mood and sharpen the mind of the elderly. Lincoln Elder Care has shown that giving an elderly person the responsibility of walking a dog will give them exercise as well as mental satisfaction. Being able to care for a dog or cat can make their day much brighter and make them feel better about themselves.

If you are the primary caregiver for a senior citizen coping with depression, it is important that any prescription medication be supervised. An elderly person with any form of mental illness can sometimes forget to take doses of their medication or not take it at all. This only compounds the problem. All prescription medication must be taken at the correct times and in the correct dosages to make sure that the person is getting the best possible treatment. Routine evaluations with the elderly person's doctor should be scheduled. Physical conditions in the elderly can change quickly, so any prescription medication must be monitored closely. A dosage that was good a year ago may not be best suited down the road. A careful monitoring of the after effects of the medications should be done.

As a Lincoln Care Giver to the elderly, it is very important to give them the best care and keep them in the best health. Monitoring depression in the elderly can be a daunting task, but by taking the right steps listed above the task can be accomplished.