Around 15% of older adults have mental health issues. Of those, about 5% have serious mental illness. Anxiety and depression are the most common and both impact mental and emotional well-being.

When your mom is impacted by emotional and mental health issues, what do you do to make sure she’s supported? Are you missing important measures for her overall well-being? Here’s what you should be considering.

Sometimes the Best Support Is Knowing You’re Not the Only One in House

If your mom is experiencing anxiety, being alone can make it so much harder. When she has 24-hour home care services, she’s not alone. She has her own space, but if she needs a caregiver’s support at any hour of the day or night, her caregivers are right there. 

As they work in shifts, she won’t wake up to a sleeping caregiver and have to worry about waking her caregiver up in order to not be alone. Her caregiver is awake and doing things like laundry, housework, and organizing. 

She Needs to Be Able to Express Herself

Your mom needs to be able to express her feelings. If your mom can’t vent frustrations, discuss her fears, and seek help without worrying about being judged, there’s a problem. Make sure she knows that it’s okay for her to speak up and talk about her mental health.

You may find it helps your mom to join a support group for mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. Support groups are great for surrounding yourself with others who understand what you’re going through. Your mom can have a caregiver drive her to and from a support group for emotional and mental support.

Depression Can Be Very Limiting

If your mom is suffering from depression, she may struggle to do things each day. Just getting out of bed can be a major hurdle. With caregivers to help her stay motivated, it can make a big difference.

Hire caregivers to make sure your mom is up and showered. Her caregiver can accompany her on a walk outside and help her in her gardens. If she’d like to sit in the sun, her caregiver can join her, make sure she applies sunscreen, and go inside periodically to get her a glass of water or snack to eat. 

Don’t Let Her Be Alone

When your mom’s emotional and mental care is fragile, it’s important to support her. She shouldn’t have to be alone. Even if she wants to be on her own, she may still want to have someone in the house and be ready to help out if she has a panic attack.

Ensure your mom’s mental and emotional care needs are met by keeping caregivers with her all day and night. Your mom doesn’t have to be alone when you arrange 24-hour home care services.

If you or an aging loved-one is considering 24-Hour Home Care in La Crescenta, CA please contact the caring staff at Nu Care Inc. today at. 800-505-6890

Sources:

https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/d7/priv/pep19-olderadults-smi.pdf