According to Harvard Medical School, anxiety is “one of the most common types of mental illness affecting people ages 60 and older.” Challenges that we all face as we age sometimes become the source of anguish and anxiety. From the decrease in our physical health to our financial stability these can all be contributing to your anxiety. Other common causes  include chronic illnesses, trouble sleeping, and side effects from medication, all very common in between the senior community. 

In Canada, in the next 20 years the senior population will be “the highest rate of mental illness” in the nation. How can we help a loved one going through this process? 

Studies show that, as we age, some psychological issues will manifest as physical symptoms. If your loved one is complaining of strange physical sensations, these symptoms may be rooted in anxiety but don’t discard any possibilities. Before treating any discomfort as a symptom of anxiety, be sure to set up a doctor's appointment to ensure that there are no physical issues that require treatment. 

Approaching the subject can always be difficult, as mental illness still carries a stigma for older generations. Try to find tactile ways to bring the subject. 

Encourage your loved one to communicate with you about their anxious feelings, if they’re willing to do so. This should help you assist them in finding the best coping strategies. Here’s some tips to improve their mental condition.

Social Support

Seniors commonly experience feelings of loneliness and isolation due to the fact that they are often, at least, somewhat limited in their mobility and may have a diminished social circle. The sense of isolation can lead to anxiety and can exacerbate existing anxious feelings. 

There are many ways to provide seniors with social support. If your elderly relative has friends in the area, make an active effort to help them spend quality time with their friends. If your senior loved one is fairly mobile, look into social programs at senior centers or volunteer opportunities they might enjoy. Your family members may want to visit your loved one on alternating days, joining them for dinner in the evening or accompanying them on errands. 

Exercises

For those who suffer from mild to moderate anxiety, exercises can be a useful way to ease symptoms. Taking slow and even breaths can offer some immediate relief in anxious situations. Counting to the same number during each inhale and exhale is a good way to help even out breathing, ex. breathe in for 1… 2… 3…. 4 and breathe out for 1… 2… 3… 4. 

The ADAA also recommends counting in general. In an anxious moment, it can be useful to count to ten or twenty while focusing on breathing steadily and thinking calm thoughts. 

Physical exercise has also been proven to help anxiety sufferers. There’s quite a few forms of low-impact exercise to choose from. Seniors can try yoga, tai chi, water aerobics or going for walks.

Reassuring Routines

Routines provide a predictable daily schedule and this predictability can be calming. Routines can also provide purpose: if your senior loved one knows they’ll be going to the senior centre each Thursday to play cards, it will provide them with something to look forward to, and they’ll have an outing and an opportunity for socialization. 

Ease Nighttime Stress

Most of us wouldn’t be surprised to learn that some seniors have trouble sleeping due to medication interactions, or because of physical ailments that make reclining or laying flat uncomfortable, but we might be surprised to realize how common it is for seniors to struggle with sleep due to mental stresses.

During the night, if seniors are upset or concerned about symptoms they’re experiencing, or a strange sound they’ve heard outside, they’re much less likely to pick up the phone and call a family member or friend: they don’t want to disturb anyone unless they’re sure that their concerns actually require attention.

It may also be extremely beneficial for your loved one to have a caregiver who can provide overnight supervision. A caregiver agency can help you find the right companionship to comfort your loved one. Sometimes, the simple knowledge that a caregiver is present will help your loved one rest more easily.