Depression as You Age-Some Times it Goes Hand in Hand. How to Overcome It
How to Tackle Depression as You Age
Mental health has quickly been edging its way into the forefront of medical concerns in the modern world, and it is being uncovered that people of all ages are starting to suffer from issues such as depression and anxiety. Thisis no different in people from older generations, but that doesn’t mean it is any easier to deal with. In fact, lots of people struggle with how to confront depression in their daily lives, whether it be handling a bad episode, or preparing your mind and body for potential future dips. However, not all hope is lost; with more people speaking out, there are more solutions out there which have helped sufferers get through their darkest days. In this post, we will look at ways to tackle depression as you age.
Address any underlying causes
Much of the time, depression can be caused by an underlying illness, which can cause hormones to fluctuate in your brain. It can mean that if you don’t visit the doctors to see what it is, you might be treating the wrong condition without realizing. For example, you could be in serious discomfort caused by a long-standing issue that causes you pain, and daily discomfort. This could have an impact on your mental health over time, so whatever the issue is, try to get to the root cause of the problem if necessary. If you are in constant discomfort in your legs for example, this could be a more serious issue than you originally think; it could be caused by venous insufficiency, which is essentially an issue with the blood flow from your legs back towards your heart. Medical conditions that are not addressed can be more impacting as time goes on, so seek resolution as soon as possible. You can sort treatment for venous insufficiency easily by heading online, so do your research sooner rather than later. It is worth seeking advice and care from health professionals, to see what in your body can be affecting how you feel. Whether it is a condition such as this, or not, you can follow the right steps to combating it.
Build a strong support network
When you get older, it can be a struggle to maintain the same support network as you may have once had.As familymoves away, loved ones pass away, and you are no longer working, it can be easy to feel more alone than ever. However,this doesn’t mean you can’t have a strong network of people around you that will be there for you if you are feeling low. Sometimes, even a phone call from a loved one can help people through difficult times. In the times where this network may be dealing with outside struggles of their own, or for when they cannot be there in person, it is always a good idea to have a counselor on hand who you click with. Not only can they equip you with handy tips to use in the future, but they can be a comforting face when you need it.
Maintain a good exercise routine
Exercise has always been a tricky part of daily life, as people often find it hard to stay on top of a regular routine. While exercise is by no means a cure for depression, sticking to regular sessions means that more dopamine and serotonin is being releasedinto your brain. After a few days or weeks, you should start to notice your mood leveling out, and that your sleep improves. On bad days where you might not make it out of bed, you should remind yourself that although you’re not feeling good, days off are more than alright. If you can find the energy, having a ten-minute walk every day can be a huge help.This is also ideal for those who are finding it harder to stay mobile as they get older.
Get enough sleep
Depression and sleep can often run in a vicious cycle: if you feel bad, you sleep too little or too much; if you have insomnia, this can exaggerate the symptoms of your depression. While taking long-term steps to improve sleep, such as exercising, can help, there are also lots of other tips you can follow in daily life to ensure you’re getting the right amount. Trying activities to keep stress levels low, to using natural sleep supplements and essential oils have been lifesavers for some people.
Keep doing what you love
It is easy as you get older to assume you can’t do some of the activities you used to adore. While some of them may not be physically possible, others you can still easily immerse yourself in from a different angle. It is also a great time to take up a new hobby or start studying again. There are endless possibilities on what you can do, but if you truly love it, and it’s a healthy hobby, this can be both a welcome distraction from negative emotions and a cathartic way of working through some bad thoughts. If you take the time to do these activities when you feel well, you can come to rely on them whenever you start to feel low.
With some attention to basics, you can overcome depression as you age.
Never Leave Home Without THESE as You Age
Things to Never Leave Home Without as You Age
Never leave home without – As you likely already know, old age comes with different changes in your physical appearance and health. While most people hope to age perfectly, the reality is that you can’t predict what your body and mind will do. You can, however, take practical steps towards lowering the risk of chronical illnesses and deteriorating physically. There are many ways in which you can do this, and several consistsof ensuring you’re meticulous about what goes into your body as well as how active you choose to be. Seeing as you have a higher risk of falling ill or having falls, this means that you have to perhaps take more precautions than you did when you were younger. On that note, you’re going to find a list of things that you should try and never leave home without as you continue to gradually age.
Liquids
As you begin to age, one ofthe most essential things that you should never leave home without is liquids. This is especially key if you happen to live in a hot country and tend to find that you’re easily dehydrated. The last thing that you want is to find yourself fainting because of the heat, so ensuring that you’re well-hydrated is key. Some signs of dehydration include extreme thirst, dark-coloredurine, fatigue dizziness, and confusion. In elderly people, in particular, you could become confused and disorientated, experience exhaustion, changes in mood, and find that your skin doesn’t bounce back. To avoid this, ensure you’re drinking more than enough fluids and you carry a bottle of water with you whenever you happen to be heading out.
Medication
If you have a medical condition, it’s advised that you carry your medication with you before leaving home. Thisis key as anything could happen while you’re out and you want to be well-prepared for such a scenario. If, for instance, you happen to have asthma, you should carry your asthma pump around. You could also find out the Symbicort price as it is used to prevent bronchospasm in patients with asthma as well. In addition to this, always have key health information like your blood type and allergies in your purse or bag that you’re carrying out. Thisshould ensure that in case you faint or there is any other medical emergency, they’reable to give you the best care possible in the quickest time possible.
Emergency Contact
Following on from the last point, in the case of a medical emergency, people should know who they need to contact. For this reason, you should always carry around an emergency card that includes contact information in the case of an unfortunate event. Tips for creating an emergency card that you can carry around on a daily basis or when traveling are making sure you include a family member or close contact, including the name of your doctor or health provider, including all medical conditions that you may have, a list of all medications you take inclusive of dosages, and a copy of your medical insurance if you can.Doing this should ensure that if the time comes you get the fastest care possible with fewer complications as well.
Food
Similar to liquids, ensuring you’re well-nourished before you leave home is imperative. Seeing as you’re said to slow down as you age, you’re going to need all of the energy that you can get. In light of this, eating three square meals a day is a necessity no matter how busy you get. Before you’re going out especially, ensure you meet all of your nutritional needs.Some of the best foods that you can eat as an elderly personinclude protein-richfoods such as eggs, broccoli, almonds, lentil turkey meat, tofuand Greek yogurt. You should also try and eat enough fruits and veggies keeping in mind that frozen and canned vegetables are perfectly fine as long as they’re from a reliable source and have little to no salt. Some of the best overall diets are Mediterranean, vegetarian, and the weight watchers diet.
Aging can be a good thing depending on your attitude towards it. You should think about it as a sign of good living as you’ve been able to make it through many years and have stories to tell as a result. Although your day-to-day livingmay change in some ways, by making more of an effort to take the necessary precautions, you should be fine. On that note, try and make a conscious decision not to leave the house without the things mentioned above.
Diabetes and Parkinson’s Link?
Diabetes and Parkinson’s Disease Link Possible
People with type 2 diabetes may have an increased risk of having a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease later in life, according to a large study published in the online issue of Neurology®. In addition, the risk between diabetes and Parkinson’s may be higher for younger people and those with complications from the disease.
Parkinson’s is a progressive disease that affects a part of the brain that helps control movement. In type 2 diabetes, a person either doesn’t make enough insulin to effectively turn blood sugar into energy or the cells don’t use the insulin as well as they should.
“Our study examined data on a large portion of the English population and found a strong link between these two seemingly different diseases,” said study author Thomas T. Warner, FRCP, PhD, of University College London (UCL) in the United Kingdom. “Whether it is genetics that may play a role in the development of these diseases or they have similar pathways to development needs to be investigated further.”
For the study, researchers looked at data in a nationwide hospital database in England over 12 years and identified more than 2 million people who were admitted to the hospital for type 2 diabetes for the first time. They were then compared to more than 6 million people without diabetes who were admitted to a hospital for a range of minor medical and surgical procedures like sprains, varicose veins, appendectomy and hip replacement.
Of the more than 2 million people with diabetes, 14,252 had a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease during a later hospital admission, compared with 20,878 of the more than 6 million people without diabetes who were later diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
After excluding conditions known to mimic Parkinson’s disease, and adjusting for age, sex, where participants lived, frequency of hospital admissions and duration of follow-up, researchers found that those with type 2 diabetes had a 31 percent greater risk of a later diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease than those without diabetes.
Researchers found the risk of being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease later in life was even higher for younger people, ages 25 to 44. In that group, 58 of 130,728 people developed Parkinson’s, compared with 280 of 2,559,693 in the group of people without diabetes, which after adjustment.
In addition, those with complications from diabetes had a 49 percent greater risk of a later diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease than people without the disease, while those without diabetes complications were 30 percent more likely to develop Parkinson’s than those without the disease.
“Restoring the brain’s ability to use insulin could potentially have a protective effect on the brain,” said Warner. “It is possible that a link between type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s could affect future diagnosis and treatment of these diseases.”
One limitation of the study was that researchers were unable to adjust results for medication and smoking. Also, because it was a hospital-based study, it is possible those diagnosed with diabetes may have had a more severe form of the disease than those who are diagnosed in a clinic.
The study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centres at Oxford and University College London Hospitals in the United Kingdom.
Having the Tough Talk with Your Aging Parents – Smilecast 144
One of the hardest discussions you may face with an elder is taking away the car keys. But there are other discussions too. Like knowing when a move to a senior care home is necessary. Or filling out advance directives. Delicate topics all. So how do you navigate these conversations? Learn how to have the tough talk in this session.
Read more about our expert – Suzette Binford. Suzette received her Bachelor’s degree from the College of Charleston, and her Master’s in Clinical Counseling from The Citadel.
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