As the sun sets earlier and more darkness settles over the Northern Hemisphere, many seniors find that winter nights and less daylight impact their mood. The elderly clients may experience depression, leave their homes less often, and have less time to socialize with others. Some are weary of driving at night and have worsening eyesight, while others miss their evening walks and other activities. Even caregivers and aides can experience changes in their moods and stress. Here's our Senior Helpers® guide to avoiding winter and fall despair:
1. Attend Virtual Meetings
For many seniors, it's not so much the lack of daylight that dampers their thought process. Many senior clients might experience loneliness that is from the absence of the people they normally encounter during their daily lives. If a senior is used to seeing the same walkers on their typical strolls through a local park, then not seeing these familiar figures can inspire loneliness and a sense of discord. When caring for these senior loved ones, suggest that they start joining virtual meetings and combat loneliness through the Internet. There are many apps that seniors can download that will allow them to find virtual events about their interests. Remind the senior client to participate in online socializing if they seem lonely or frazzled by seasonal changes.
2. Have a Caregiver Drive
Many people encounter vision changes over the years and experience weaker vision at night. With less sunlight, it's more difficult for seniors to drive at night. Senior clients can have their caregivers drive them around and talk about their favorite routes. They might be used to certain neighborhoods or the parts of towns that don't seem to change. With many scenic areas in this part of the country, seniors can watch the sunset or see city lights at night with their caregivers.
3. Schedule Outdoor Activities Earlier
Although there will be less daylight, worse weather, and longer nights ahead, there are some senior clients who will still want to plan their evenings around the sunset. Some seniors have hobbies pertaining to the outdoors and can just simply do things earlier in the day rather than waiting until late evening. If a senior client maintains a garden year-round, then they could consider watering and caring for it in the warmest part of the day or the late afternoon.
4. Maintain Good Fitness Indoors
In addition to joining online groups, seniors can also enroll in fitness classes online or create indoor routines. Both seniors and their caregivers benefit from establishing a fitness routine indoors. Seniors also have the option of participating in online fitness classes. Other indoor fitness options can include seeing whether they live in a place with a gym, clubhouse, or other space dedicated to inside events and sports training. In other words, if seniors want to keep their fitness routines, it's possible to find a location for them to do this inside and still work out later at night.
5. Attend a Sporting Event or Athletic Competition
If your senior loved one enjoys staying active outdoors and finds themselves limited by the weather, then they could attend a sporting event featuring a local team. Sometimes, they will become excited by the event and this will briefly relieve their depression. Additionally, attending sporting events can be supportive and involves participating in a community that shares something in common. Lastly, sporting events might feature outdoor activities, but can take place at night and fill up time over the long winter weekends.
Staying Active in Texas
Senior Helpers® is active in Austin, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Lakeway, Pflugerville, and Round Rock, and plenty of seniors in our communities experience the joy of milder winters here. There are many things to do in the area. Contact us to learn more about our in-home care services.