Memory Assisted Living

The Importance of Recognizing Mental Health in Senior Housing

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Millions of people around the world are struggling with mental health issues and people in senior housing are no exception. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and brings light to the challenges of mental illness and the importance of treatment.

The Importance of Mental Health for Seniors

Mental health is crucial in every stage of life but especially during the later years. As seniors step into late adulthood, many struggle to cope with the changes in their lives. Some of these changes include physical changes, loss of work, moving, and dealing with different medical conditions.

This can be very frustrating for anyone. This frustration can easily lead to anxiety and eventually, depression if not properly addressed.

According to the CDC, at least 7 million Americans over the age of 65 suffer from depression each year.

Some of the most common signs that a senior has mental health issues include a shift in mood, eating and sleeping habits, anger and irritability, and threat to harm self or others.

With that number, there’s a pressing need to highlight mental health as part of the healthcare goals for seniors. By having the right guidance and support, they will be able to adapt to life changes more easily, so they can enjoy their years in senior housing without battling anxiety and depression.

Different Mental Health Exercises in Senior Housing

To help seniors in senior housing battle mental health challenges, here are some exercises they can enjoy:

Taking on crafts.

  • Crafting is such a great way to not only prevent memory loss but also fight depression and anxiety. When you’re knitting, painting, or sewing, you allow your mind to be creative so that there’s no room for bad thoughts in your head.

Doing puzzles.

  • Puzzles are some of the most popular activities in senior housing because of their benefits to the mind and body. Aside from sharpening the memory, doing puzzles also help the mind relax and focus on a single activity. This is a great way to forget all those worries and just enjoy the moment.

Gardening.

  • Taking care of plants or growing vegetables are a great way to get the body moving and keep the mind healthy. According to several studies, gardening has been linked to reducing the risks of dementia and it’s also a good way to battle anxiety and depression because you’re outdoors and you keep yourself busy throughout the day.

Mental health is a crucial topic that everyone should talk about not only during Mental Health Awareness Month but every day.

With so many people suffering from mental illness, it’s about time that we give importance to our mental health, especially for those individuals who are living in senior housing and struggle with anxiety and depression on almost a daily basis.

 

Looking for memory care assisted living in Lincoln, Nebraska? Click here to visit our contact page and set up a tour today!

Fallbrook Assisted Living is proud to offer its services to Fremont, NE, and surrounding areas and cities: Arlington, Cedar Bluffs, Ames Nickerson, Fontanelle, Arlington, Leshara, Colon, and Hooper

assisted living

Celebrating Mother’s Day in Assisted Living

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No one in this world means more to anyone than their mother and in a few weeks, we will be honoring the women who brought us into this world on Mother’s Day. If your mom is already in assisted living, you need to make this year’s celebration one she will never forget. Here are some ideas that you can use to prepare for Mother’s Day and honor the most important woman in your life.

Gift Ideas for Mothers in Assisted Living

A photo bouquet.

  • While a typical floral bouquet will never go out of style, you can give it a twist this year by replacing the flowers with family photographs that your mother will surely love.

Cut your favorite photos into hearts and put them together into a bouquet that will bring the nostalgia, for sure.

Her favorite foods.

  • In assisted living, your mom doesn’t really get her favorite foods every day. So, why not make Mother’s Day a big treat for her, especially if she’s a foodie? Cook all her favorite foods and gather the family to visit her so you can enjoy lunch together.

The little comforts.

  • Being in her elderly years, your mom would want things that can add to her comfort and convenience. For instance, you can gift her a memory pillow that will help her to sleep better at night and not wake up having a stiff neck. If she’s into music, you can give her a pair of headphones to enjoy her favorite tunes privately in assisted living.

Ways to Celebrate with Mothers in Assisted Living

Organize a family picnic.

  • Gather all your family members and visit your mom together in assisted living where you can prepare a picnic with all her favorite foods. You can even organize a surprise tribute for your mom where each family member gets to say something to her or sing songs for her.

Treat her to pamper day.

  • Mother’s Day should be a day of pampering for the most precious woman in your life. Book for a pedicure or massage service that she can enjoy even when she’s in the facility. You can even get her hair done, so she can look and feel extra beautiful again.

Do her favorite activity with her.

  • If your mom loves painting, gardening, or crocheting, take the time to do her favorite activity with her on Mother’s Day. This may be a simple gesture for you, but it will surely mean a lot that you honor the things she loves to do.

 

Our mothers are true gems because of all their years of love and sacrifice to bring us into this world and make sure that we live a good life.

So, this Mother’s Day, make sure that your mother feels that you value her and everything she did to help you get to where you are. Being in assisted living is never easy for her, but you can take this one day to make her feel extra happy to be with family.

Looking for an assisted living facility in Nebraska? Check out our services at Fallbrook Assisted Living by clicking here!

Fallbrook Assisted Living is proud to offer its services to Fremont, NE, and surrounding areas and cities: Arlington, Cedar Bluffs, Ames Nickerson, Fontanelle, Arlington, Leshara, Colon, and Hooper