With the holidays upon us, many are gearing up to celebrate the season, but some people, including seniors and caregivers are finding themselves suffering from a case of the holiday blues. For these individuals, it can be hard to recognize and focus on the joy of the season. These tips can help them get through it:

1. Surround yourself with people – even if you don’t have family or friends around that you can spend time with, do join other social events taking place in your community

2. Volunteer – no matter what’s happening in your life, you’ll feel great when you volunteer and give back to those in need

3. Join a support group – sometimes it’s not easy to talk to family about the emotions you’re struggling with, so join a support group that allows you to share your feelings

4. Don’t put pressure on yourself – it’s okay if you don’t feel like celebrating over the holidays, don’t push yourself. Get involved with those things that make you happy, and don’t get down on yourself if you don’t feel joyful

5. Avoid alcohol – alcohol can depress your mood, so even though the wine and eggnog is flowing over the holidays, stick to the non-alcoholic stuff!

6. Know the signs of depression and seek treatment – the holiday blues are one thing, but you also need to recognize depression and get help

Via: Health in Aging

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Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

Those of us who find ourselves online day after day know that the internet can really create a sense of community and belonging to those that might have minimal physical social interaction in their day-to-day lives. However, with only 42% of older adults over the age of 65 using the internet, according to a recent Pew Internet study, there are still plenty of seniors who have yet to discover the camaraderie that can come from internet use, and they should. It’s not just about belonging when logging onto sites like Facebook or Twitter, it’s about preventing loneliness and isolation that can come from older adulthood and staying in touch with those who are most important. By doing this, seniors can improve their quality of life, even preventing depression.

In the United States, medical treatment that relates to depression equates to approximately $100 million each year alone, which means, there are plenty of seniors who are struggling through their daily lives. While the internet is surely not a cure for depression, it can reestablish a connection for seniors that can help them feel that they belong, and having support, companionship and friendship can play a major role in the prevention of depression.

Via: Home Instead Senior Care

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Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

Q – Can stress have an impact on the health of Phoenix seniors? Is the expression “stress kills” true? And if so, why?

A – Stress kills; it’s true. For the American elderly in particular, stress can have a grave effect on health. Chronic stress can have an impact upon the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal health of a senior, not to mention the psychological effects that can include severe anxiety and depression. For seniors, inadequate stress management can have very serious consequences including death.

A recent study has proven exactly why stress has a negative effect on health, and the culprit is a hormone called neuropeptide Y (NPY), which prevents proper hormone functioning. According to Professor Fabienne Mackay, lead researcher on the study, “During periods of stress, nerves release a lot of NPY and it gets into the bloodstream, where it directly impacts on the cells in the immune system that look out for and destroy pathogens (bacteria and viruses) in the body,”

Sources:

1. Medical News Today
2. Medicine Online
3. The American Institute of Stress

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Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.