Is Your Elderly Loved One in Pain? There Are Things You Can Do To Help!
Seeing your parent in chronic pain can lead to a sense of hopelessness for both you and your parent. According to a study reported by the American Psychiatric Association, there is a strong link between chronic pain and depression. In fact, in this study conducted on nearly 19,000 individuals, 43 percent of those with depressive symptoms also had chronic pain.
Helping your Parent
If you notice your parent sliding into depression, get immediate medical attention. In addition to their pain medication, they may require anti-depressants. Signs to be aware of include the following:
- Complaints of headaches, back pain or digestive issues.
- Sudden change in sleeping or eating patterns such as sleeping too much or insomnia, or eating too much or very little.
- Irritability and anxiety.
- Increasing isolation.
- A sense of hopelessness.
Elderly Care in Indian Hill OH: Is Your Elderly Loved One in Pain? There Are Things You Can Do To Help!
Tips for Caregivers
As a family caregiver, you are in a position to positively affect both your parent’s chronic pain and their possible depression. The following are techniques that caregiver’s have used to help those they are caring for.
- Enjoy time together. That seems a little simplified, but taking their mind off of their feelings of pain or despair can do wonders for their frame of mind. Consider taking one day a week to enjoy doing something your parent may have always wanted to experience, but never took the time to indulge in. This may mean a stroll through a botanical garden, taking a pottery class together, or enjoying an exercise class such as tai chi. The local senior community center often offers a wealth of classes and information designed with seniors in mind.
- Relaxation techniques can reduce stress and relax muscles. Guided imagery recordings can be found on YouTube as well as on recorded CDs.
- This is a vital component of both pain reduction and stress management. Exercise, particularly aerobic exercise, releases endorphins which increase one’s sense of well-being. The increase in blood flow also improves oxygen uptake and relaxation and can offer a reduction in pain. Many seniors are concerned that exercise will increase their pain. If your parent falls into this group, consider water aerobics which takes the pressure off of tired joints with the buoyancy offered by the water. Tai chi and yoga have both been shown to reduce pain and stress and promote relaxation.
- Physical therapy, as well as applying cold and hot packs for twenty minutes each, may also help reduce pain. The cold offers a reduction in inflammation while the heat relaxes stressed and stiff muscles.
Elderly Care Provider
If your loved one’s chronic pain has left it difficult for them to perform the everyday tasks of living, consider obtaining the services of an elderly care provider. In addition to daily activities, they can provide transportation, accompany your parent on social outings, and provide the companionship that will help your loved one focus less on the pain and more on the joy of living.
If you or an aging loved one are considering elderly care in Indian Hill, OH, please contact the caring staff at Queen City Elder Care today. Serving Cincinnati and Surrounding Communities. Call Us Today (513) 510-4410.
Resources
http://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/pn.38.8.0038
https://www.care.com/senior-care-helping-seniors-manage-pain-p1143-q317314.html
Michele Vollmer is a visionary leader who is perpetually searching for ways to improve, so to remain at the leading edge of the home care industry.She has served in the healthcare industry since 1989, including pharmaceutical and home health sales, as well as hospice sales and sales management.
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