The term “mental health” refers to the emotional and psychological well-being of an individual and can include depression, anxiety, and other psychological conditions. Seniors are susceptible to these issues because of the natural physical and emotional hurdles to overcome — with age comes physical illness, mobility challenges, and loneliness.

It becomes more critical than ever in a Senior’s life to be close to their friends and family. Loneliness is far too common among the ageing community. It’sa trigger for depression, low self-esteem, and even dementia. Seniors need to be in a familiar place, close to the people and things that bring them joy. Moving your loved one into along-term care home used to be a common practice among families.

However, did you knowthat about 44% of Seniors living in long-term care homes experience depression?Many Seniors are concerned about health and safety risks and find it painful to move into a long-term care facility because the separation from friends and family is too hard. Today, the majority of Seniors choose to age in place, receiving health care services you can get at home from a professional home healthcare provider.

Often, it’s easier for Seniors to manage mental health issues at home than at a long-term care facility. Read on to discover why that is.

Understanding Senior Depression in Long-term Care Homes

Several different pathways lead to depression in Seniors, including genetic vulnerability and neurologic or medical illness. Among long-term care residents, environmental stressors and social losses frequently combine with medical, genetic, and neurological factors to result in depression symptoms.

Long-term care residents commonly have conditions associated with depression, such as diabetes, dementia, heart disease, or stroke. Some may already have a history of recurrent depression, which puts them at a higher risk for reoccurrence.

The experience differs for all residents in a long-term care home, but several shared social changes have a profound effect on many individuals, including:

• They’re no longer in their own home.
• They’re no longer in control of what they eat.
• They’re no longer able to conduct personal business and social activities according to individual schedules.
• They typically share a room with a stranger.

Most of all, for manySeniors, being away from friends and family is tough. Ageing at home allows for social visits at any time of day, and Seniors have the freedom to follow a schedule on their terms.

The Benefits of Home Healthcare

The right home healthcare company provides Seniors with a professional and compassionate caregiving team. Your loved one can receive all of the treatments found in a hospital or a long-term care home right in the familiarity of home.

Seniors can eat their favourite foods, see the people they love, and won’t have to abide by different time restrictions, rules and regulations. An at-home caregiver can assist your loved one with daily tasks, offering engaging companionship as well as essential healthcare services, such as dressing, meal preparation, and prescription management.

They’ll feel safer surrounded by the routine that home provides, avoiding potential trauma that a move to a facility might provoke.

Home healthcare offers customized individual attention. You can target any mental health concerns much more carefully when your loved one is at home. His or her caregiver will be able to monitor any symptoms and get to the bottom of things much faster than at a long-term care facility.

Untreated, the effects of conditions such as depression, anxiety, and loneliness can be detrimental.If you’re choosing healthcare options for your loved one, consider the benefits of home healthcare. No senior should have to go through emotional hardship on their own.