Senior Care – Hobbies to Fight Depression
Home Care Services in Fairfax VA: Keeping your Senior Active to Stave off Depression
Depression and anxiety were once thought to be something that goes away as one ages. However, recent studies have proven that depression is just as common in the elderly as it is in other adults. That being said, there are many ways to lessen mild depression, and one of these ways is to have a hobby.
Hobbies can be as simple as reading or as complex as building a model airplane or designing the blueprints for a dream house. Your aging loved-one can spend time on their hobby alone, or you or their senior care aide could keep them company while they work. Here are some great, low-impact hobbies for seniors to help lift their spirits and fight off depression:
Reading or Audiobooks – Getting lost in a good book is a great way to escape the troubles inherent in everyday life. Your loved-one can read the pages themselves, or you or their senior care aide could read it to them. They could also listen to an audiobook, which is often read in a fun, entertaining way by the voiceover artist.
Puzzles – Jigsaw puzzles are a great way to get your mind off your worries. They force you to focus on the task at hand, which is putting together a beautiful picture. This is an activity that your senior can do alone, or they can do it with the family. The latter could help to raise their spirits even more, because of the bonding and laughter that occurs when a family does something together.
Art – Art, whether it be drawing, writing, painting, or crafting, has long been known to help fight depression. Expressing oneself helps to get past the things they are struggling with, and art can be an outlet for that self-expression. This art doesn’t have to be shared with anyone else, it can just be for your senior’s eyes only, for their own comfort and expression. Additionally, they could share it with the rest of the family, and you could all make art or enjoy their art together.
Exercise – If your aging loved-one is healthy enough to do physical activity, they could consider joining a swim class at the YMCA, or take walks around the block. It doesn’t have to be excessive, just something active to do each day to get their blood pumping and their feel-good energy levels up.
Classes – There are always classes at the library and the YMCA on everything from cooking to literature to knitting. Some of these classes are even free! Your senior might enjoy taking a class and learning new things, and if they can’t go alone, you or your senior care aide could go with them and sit in on the class as well.
No matter what hobby your senior chooses, it should be helpful in staving off depression. Depression comes when the mind doesn’t have something good or positive or engaging to focus on, and having a hobby can be a great way to feel better in one’s own skin.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering home care services in Fairfax, VA, call the caring staff at Medical Professionals On Call today.
Contact: 703-273-8818
Medical Professionals On Call has such a caring, professional staff who are available to step in with whatever level of care necessary for loved ones and to relieve you of that stress.
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