Mind

Helping Seniors Overcome Isolation and Depression

Depression and isolation are very real problems with our aging senior population and according to a recent NY Times article, their numbers are growing. Almost two million people over the age of 65 rarely or never leave their homes, which makes up roughly 6% of this group. These homebound folks far outnumber the residents of nursing home facilities at around 1.4 million, and of those who haven’t left their house in the past month, 80% have dementia and another 60% don’t go out by themselves anymore.

Coping with depression is difficult at any age, but coupled with failing health, victims of stroke, those struggling with arthritis, they have higher rates of heart and lung disease, therefore most of these people have literally become prisoners in their own homes. Depression is widespread amongst this older crowd affecting up to a third of those semi-homebound persons and almost 60% of the completely homebound.

So how can we help? What are some ways for the elderly to curb their growing feelings of depression and isolation? Here are some tips on keeping our older friends and relatives happier:

Alcohol and Prescription Drugs

Many people, regardless of age, may turn to drugs and alcohol as a way to curb their depression, when in fact, alone or together, these will likely only make things worse, not to mention a dangerous combination. USA News recently reported a new trend with “overage drinking,” it’s not the college kids that are increasing their drug and alcohol use, it’s grandma and grandpa.

Research has shown that alcohol and prescription drug problems among adults 60 and older were among the fastest-growing health issues facing the country, expressing worry about an “invisible epidemic” of substance abuse among seniors. If you believe an older adult has a substance abuse or alcohol problem, encourage them to get help.

Differentiate Grief From Depression

By the time women reach the age of 65, over half of them will be widows and losing a life partner can lead to chronic depression for up to 15% of these separated spouses. The problem comes with identifying the difference between a normal grieving process and signs of actual depression.

Sadness over the loss of a loved one can carry on over the course of time, sometimes in waves, but it shouldn’t stop a person from enjoying their regular day-to-day activities. If someone is having persistent problems lasting over many years instead of several months, insomnia, bouts of crying, and feelings of intense sadness, guilt, anger, irritability, or loneliness, they should seek medical attention. Depression is a disease, not a frame of mind and should be treated by a professional.

More Simplistic Solutions

Often it’s the little things in life that can make a big difference, especially for those who are growing older. Here’s just a few ways to “get going,” in order to become more cheerful, seem less isolated and alone:

• Get more exercise – obviously most older people can’t perform rigorous cardiovascular exercise routines, instead try something more low key like Tai Chi or Yoga.
• Get online – many older folks are staying in touch with friends and family on the internet, whether it’s emails or networking on social media sites.
• Get a hobby – when we’re no longer working for a living, we need a purpose, a reason to get out of bed in the morning and a hobby can help with this.

While many of us may worry about our aging older relatives, we can do more to help them to feel needed, less isolated and depressed. If you haven’t spoken to your parents in a while, give them a call. Your other older adult relatives would appreciate a visit, a phone call or maybe just an email. Take some time to brighten the lives of those around you and you’ll feel better too.

Over 4,000 years ago, ancient Babylonians would begin the new year by promising the gods that they would pay their debts in the coming year. This ceremony has since evolved in modern New Year’s resolutions, when people around the world promise themselves that they will making the most of their futures. Some of us want to get in shape, some of us want to make more money, and some of us want to find love; any way you slice it, everyone wants 2017 to be their best year ever.

But let’s be honest: despite our sincere aspirations, most of us give up on our resolutions before January even ends. Thankfully, you don’t have to wait for the start of a new year to truly begin the journey toward your goals. It all starts with building up your healthy habits.

Find a Buddy

Let’s say you want to make exercise a priority in your life. You want to get up early every morning (yes, even on the weekends) and exercise before you head into the office. You write down your resolution, you set the alarm, and head off to bed excited to get started. The trouble is, your bed is so cozy when morning comes along, and day after day you hit the snooze button instead.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. There are many people struggling to motivate themselves to build better habits. So why not partner up? Commit to working out with a friend, or use apps to publish your exercise routines to social media. You’ll soon come to find that your friends and family can be excellent motivators.

Take Baby Steps

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Rome wasn’t built in a day. We all know these expressions well, but when it comes to our own habits, we’re not so great at heeding the advice. Part of the reason building habits is hard is because we focus on our end goal. This can leave you feeling overwhelmed and defeated before you even get started! Avoid this feeling by setting smaller, manageable goals along your journey.

Here’s an example: let’s say your goal is to lose 20 pounds. Right now, that may seem impossible. But instead of giving up, calling 20 pounds undoable, how able losing only five? Once you’ve done that, try five more. Before you know it, your single steps will take you thousands of miles away.

Find the Time and Set Reminders

I get it, life is incredibly busy. Between balancing work, family, friends, and kids (if you have them), it may seem like a new goal is just not possible. Where will you find the time? Maybe you’ll cut back on TV and social media. Maybe you’ll wake up a little earlier in the morning. The bottom line is that anyone can carve out a little time to take a step towards their goals.

However, before this time becomes second nature to you, you may not always remember to do it. This is why writing notes or setting a reminder on your calendar or phone is so important; it will help you stay committed to building your habits! Set a time – morning, evening, lunch break, doesn’t matter – to work on building this new habit, and make sure you don’t forget it! Before long you’ll be so used to this new routine that you won’t need that reminder anymore.

Commit to a Challenge

Scientists say that building a habit takes an average of 66 days. So how can you be certain that you keep up your habit that long? Consider a boot camp or challenge! Whether you’re trying to write a novel or up your fitness level, there’s likely a challenge available online which will push you to keep going until you’ve reached that 66 day mark.

Even if there isn’t a challenge that fits your needs exactly, who says that you can create your own? Think up your own 66-day routine (and let your buddy know, so he or she can hold you accountable) and get to work! If you commit to it, and work on building your habit each day, you’ll be stunned to discover how easy forming new habits can really be.

Be Flexible

As important as it is to work hard to achieve your goals and create healthy habits, it is also important to remember when to take it easy. Flexibility is the key to forming habits that last, as it keeps you from feeling restricted and prevents you from rebelling (yes, deep down we all still have that teenage rebellious streak).

If you’ve been working out every day for two weeks, it’s ok to give your body a day or two to rest and recharge. If you’ve been carefully managing your money for weeks, paying all your bills and even paying off some debts, feel free to splurge on a small treat for yourself. After all, building new habits is a big deal, and you deserve to celebrate your achievements!

Although many people think of yoga as an exercise that burns calories and strengthens muscles, it’s actually much more than that. Yoga doesn’t just work the body—it works the mind as well. Here are some of the many psychological benefits of yoga:

Reduces Panic and Anxiety

Yogis will be taught to meditate, control their breathing, and focus on the present. Together, these three aspects of yoga can induce the relaxation response in your body, which is the opposite of the fight or flight response. Whereas the fight or flight response activates when your mind senses danger, the relaxation response kicks in when your mind believes the coast is clear.

As you practice yoga, you may feel a sense of calm wash over your mind and body. The worries and irrational fears that typically race through your head will begin to slow down and may eventually vanish completely. For this reason, people who experience anxiety or panic attacks can greatly benefit from yoga.

Sense of Self

Challenging yourself to try new poses or hold onto a difficult pose for just a few more seconds will help you develop a more positive relationship with your body. Over time, you will stop pointing out flaws and imperfections, and instead learn to appreciate what your body is capable of doing. Developing this nonjudgmental relationship with yourself will boost your confidence and make you feel more comfortable in your own skin.

Traumatic Experiences

Mental health professionals often advise patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to try yoga. Patients who have this condition may experience distressing nightmares or flashbacks and suffer from severe anxiety and depression. Symptoms may be so severe that they significantly impact the patient’s quality of life. Fortunately, a number of studies have shown that yoga can help those who suffer from PTSD.

During yoga, patients with PTSD learn how to calm themselves down when symptoms begin to flare up. They are also taught self-acceptance, which greatly benefits victims who are still blaming themselves for the tragedy that affected their lives.

Improve Focus

Yogis have no time to think about anything besides what their bodies are doing on the mat. If they lose focus, they risk falling out of the pose that they have worked so hard to master. Yogis are also required to control their breathing by focusing solely on every inhale and exhale. Because so much of yoga involves focus, it is incredibly beneficial to people who are having trouble concentrating.

Are you ready to start practicing yoga? If you’re nervous about getting on the mat for the first time, try to show up to class a little early so you can have some one-on-one time with the instructor. Introduce yourself and let him know about any injuries or health conditions that you may have. If you’re not familiar with the equipment, such as blocks and straps, ask him for a quick tutorial before class begins.

Be sure that you wear appropriate yoga clothing so you don’t accidentally reveal too much while twisting into different positions. Then, step onto your mat and start to experience the many psychological benefits of yoga!

Mindfulness is practicing a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment. It’s rooted in Buddhist meditation, but has made a resurgence as a secular application in the American mainstream in recent years. This can be largely traced to the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn and his Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program.

This program, launched at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1979, has sparked thousands of studies which have documented the physical and mental benefits attributed to mindfulness and the MBSR program. As such, these techniques are being implemented in schools, prisons, hospitals, and clinics around the country.

Kabat-Zinn asserts that mindfulness is related to meditation – or paying attention on purpose. In a presentation given to the Greater Good Science Center, he suggested that when we hear the word mindfulness, “You should understand that it means presence of heart.” Mindfulness is a process of focusing on the present versus rehashing events in the past or planning for the future.

Elementary school teachers, like Argos Gonzalez who teaches teens in one of the poorest districts of New York City, used mindfulness techniques to begin English class. Student sit for 5 minutes and are guided through a mediation exercise to help them focus and become aware of their emotional state. In classrooms like Gonzalez’s, students are dealing with very troubling life circumstances outside of the classroom and using techniques like mindfulness are one way schools are trying to reach troubled students and help them focused more specifically on school.

The approach is capturing attention as advocates such as Mindful Schools offers training for teachers on how to apply mindfulness strategies. Started in 2007, the school believes that incorporating the mindfulness approach at the primary and secondary school level will help teachers address toxic stress and other problems that hinder the educational process.

Daniel Rechtschaffen, Founder of  Mindful Education Institute and the Omega Mindfulness in Education conference, works with Mindful Schools primary in the San Francisco area. He believes that through emotional regulation and stress management children can be taught how to pay attention and focus which will in term lead to improved performance in the classroom.

When practicing mindfulness, it’s important to incorporate the following components:

• Pay close attention to your breathing. This is especially important during times of intense emotions.
• Identify anything you are sensing in a given moment. This includes sights, smells, sounds, etc.
• Recognize that anything you are feeling is temporary and does not define you permanently.
• Pay close attention to your body’s physical sensations.

By doing the fours steps mentioned above you can tap into the benefits that a mindful approach to learning can produce. For instance, mindfulness can help with:

• Reducing Negative Motions: Studies show that mindfulness can improve positive emotions and reduce stress. It can be a powerful alternative to antidepressants and fighting depression and preventing relapses.
• Reforming Our Brains: Some studies show that these techniques can increase the gray matter in our brains linked to learning, emotions, and memory.
• Improving Focus: Mindfulness has been shown to help people block out distractions is naturally aids with memory and retention.
• Reducing Behavior Problems: This is a significant benefit in schools because a reduction is behavior problems allows teachers to spend more time focused on teaching the entire class. Less disruptions means that entire class can use class time more productively.

Mindfulness is not a new technique, but new focus is bringing this approach to the forefront. It offers tremendous potential to improve the way we learn, how much we’re able to retain, and how schools and classrooms are managed overall. Research is showing that practicing mindfulness, even for just a few weeks, can bring a variety of physical, psychological, and social benefits that are difficult to ignore.