Adverse situations can cause mental and emotional strain that is typically referred to as stress. People experience stress at every age. However, coping with stress becomes more difficult as we get older. According to HealthDay, aging wears down the cells in the body and systems in the brain, making it more difficult to respond to and recover from stress. Additionally, as we age, some of the things that can often trigger stress also change. Let’s take a look at the common stressors and challenges that can affect older adults and how to cope with them.
Which Stressors Affect Seniors
Loss of loved ones
As we get older, we experience the death of more and more loved ones and peers. This loss of friendship or companionship can cause loneliness, isolation, and stress, as well as trigger the fear of your own death.
Deterioration of physical abilities
As a person loses hearing, sight, mobility, or other physical abilities as they get older, they can become frustrated and stressed out. It’s an overwhelming adjustment to go from being physically capable of doing daily activities to having to rely on others for care and assistance.
Concern about finances
In retirement, many seniors must transition from being financial secure to living on a limited, fixed income. This change can bring about financial issues and difficulty adjusting to a different, perhaps less luxurious, lifestyle.
Lack of purpose
When a person stops working, they may feel they are no longer useful to their family or society as a whole. Fortunately, these feelings of boredom and lack of purpose can often be overcome through volunteering and participation in local events and activities.
Loss of independence
When seniors can no longer drive a car or live alone safely, they experience some loss of independence. This can trigger a stress response as they feel their independence is dwindling away from them.
Impact of Ongoing Stress
You might notice someone is stressed if they become more irritable, withdraw from social situations, stop eating properly, or constantly feel fatigued. Emotionally, stress also can lead to anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. On the physical side, according to the Mayo Clinic, stress often causes headaches, gastrointestinal problems, chest pains, sleep issues, and other ailments. Long-term stress also increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, insomnia, and a weakened immune system. Therefore, it’s vital to try to reduce stress whenever possible.
Ways of Coping With Stress
Coping with stress is difficult for people of any age. Smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, and abusing drugs are harmful habits. They should never be used to deal with stress. A healthy diet, regular exercise, relaxation techniques, and an active social life can help. However, it’s important to recognize when you may need to see a professional.
Sometimes the root of anxious feelings, sadness, and worry are more severe than just being stressed out about your particular circumstances. If you are concerned about your emotional health or believe you may have depression, an anxiety disorder, or another condition, seek the guidance of a mental health professional for treatment, including medication and/or counseling. Fortunately Medicare Part B covers one depression screening each year from your primary care provider. Part B also covers a psychiatric evaluation and testing as well as therapy and treatment by a psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, clinical social worker, and other types of mental health professionals.
Seniors are triggered by different stressors and react differently to stress than younger folks. If ongoing stress becomes an issue in your life or in the life of someone you care about, don’t hesitate to reach out for assistance from friends, family, and ultimately, professionals. Getting stress under control is essential to improve physical and mental health and overall quality of life.
This post written by Kent Elliot.
