Emotions are a vital part of our being. It serves as one way that we communicate with others. Even without words, people can tell what state of mind we are in just by reading our emotions. However, as we age, we encounter a variety of emotional changes. Here, providers of home health care in California offer some advice to navigate these changes. Learn how to do emotional management well during your senior years.
The Emotional Changes Older Adults Experience
During later adult years, you experience plenty of physical and mental changes. These changes can result in a lot of uncertainties on your part. In turn, you will often feel a wide variety of emotions as you try to come to terms with the changes. Effective emotional management begins with understanding what these are. Some of the stronger ones that you might feel are.
Denial
You might find it hard to accept that these changes are happening and that you are not the same as you used to be. To cope with that, you might try to ignore these changes. That can result in any condition getting worse.
Guilt
At this point in their lives, a senior already experienced many things. There are some they believe that could have changed if they acted differently. That feeling of regret can become guilt if the event is very significant.
Loneliness
Another significant change in the lives of older adults is that they might now be living away from familiar people. For instance, their kids might now live in different states. Or they might find it hard to grapple with the death of a loved one. That feeling of loneliness can cause them to isolate themselves, further amplifying the emotion.
Sense Of Helplessness
Older adults with physical and health problems might feel like they are at the mercy of their conditions. Or they might feel like they are of no use to their loved ones. That feeling of helplessness can result in depression.
Stubbornness
That feeling of helplessness can also lead older adults to try and bring some sense of control into their lives. Such attempts can result in them refusing the assistance of others. They might also try to enforce their control over others. That can lead to conflicts with loved ones or friends.
Reminiscence And Recollection
Another way that older adults might try to cope with the changes around them is by recalling how things were back in the day. While such reminiscence is not bad, it can lead them to refuse to accept the changes around them. That can also result in them regressing to older habits.
Extreme Suspicion
Older adults can also become wary of people’s intent and actions. Because of this, they can become extremely critical of others. Such actions can result in strained interpersonal relationships, as they refuse to trust anyone.
Better Emotional Management As You Age
Interestingly, older adults can actually have better control than younger people. Research has shown that seniors are better at regulating negative emotions and focusing away from unwanted thoughts.
According to scientists, this mechanism helps older people better handle memory-intensive tasks. They explain that, as we age, we get to process information slower. That means that we get to think things over first before acting. Thwart helps limit any emotion-laden actions.
Additionally, studies noted that many older people have a positive bias. Here, they tend to go with the mindset to “not sweat the small stuff.” This comes from years of experience where they learn to decide which situations to focus on.
Note this does not mean that they don’t succumb to the above emotions. However, they can bounce back faster from it. As such, when helping your elderly loved ones cope with such emotions, you would also want to tap into these qualities more.
Providing For A Senior’s Emotional Needs
The first step you need to do to help your older loved ones better cope with their emotions is to meet their needs in that department. There are several main needs that you should consider when developing your loved one’s emotional management plan.
Safety And Security
As you can see from the above, seniors have a strong desire to feel secure. After all, they know too well that their bodies aren’t what they used to be. Here, assure them that they will be safe wherever they might be. That involves providing them with the right environment where they can avoid things like falls and accidents.
Autonomy
On the other hand, seniors also want to seek some form of autonomy. Even at their age, they still want to experience being free to move around and do what they want. For this, you need to strike a balance between letting them do as they wish and ensuring that they don’t overexert themselves. Providers of home health care in California can help you with this through various assistance services.
Connection
Older people also have a strong desire to stay in touch with family and friends. Thus, you need to make sure that they can do that frequently. Talk with their relatives and friends and encourage them to visit every once in a while. You can also take advantage of technology like video calls so they can stay in touch even if they are not physically there.
Beyond the connection to immediate family and friends, you would also want to broaden your older loved one’s circle of acquaintances. In particular, help them connect with others in the same age group. Community events and programs are particularly great for that purpose.
Helping Seniors Find A New Sense Of Purpose
Another effective strategy to help seniors better control their emotions is helping them renew their sense of purpose. At their age, some older adults will ask themselves where they are supposed to go and what they are supposed to do. This crossroad is often what triggers the above emotions.
Help them find that path by encouraging them to try out new activities. These can be hobbies or new skills that they can learn. Such activities help them refocus their attention on more productive things. It also has a calming effect on them.
What The Best Home Health Care In California Can Offer
At Amavi, we understand the importance of good emotional management for our elderly wards. As such, we provide an extensive selection of psychological and social services. We have counselors that they can talk to. These can help your loved ones better come to terms with the emotions they feel. Additionally, we partner with different organizations that conduct events geared toward older people, providing avenues for socialization.
With our help, your loved ones can have a more positive outlook in life and better control their emotions. Contact us today to book and give the best home health care in California for your loved ones.