Senior Mental Health

Fall and winter can bring on unexplained fatigue and irritability in both caregivers and seniors. Bright light therapy is a drug-free treatment that helps regulate sleep/wake cycles, stabilize mood and minimize the symptoms of sundowning.

It is becoming increasingly difficult for humans to establish personal, physical connections in this digital age. However, showing affection through touch is vital to expressing our feelings for those we love--especially the elderly, ill and disabled.

Positive thinking and careful framing are powerful tools that can help individuals live the healthy and happy lives that they desire. Learn how to focus on the good and avoid getting caught in a negative rut that can affect your health and how you age.

A few small tweaks can help set the groundwork for a better attitude, a more fulfilling life, healthier relationships, and even a less stressful caregiving experience. Use the following tips for being emotionally strong.

As caregivers, we must encourage activities and interests that contribute to our aging loved ones’ feelings of self-worth while also prioritizing their safety.

Having a purpose in life can protect your brain and is associated with a number of positive physical and psychological benefits. Learn how to help your loved one (and yourself) regain a sense of purpose.

Many caregivers tend to lose sight of their value during long, difficult stints of providing care for those they love. Learn how to break out of this damaging mindset and assert your worth with these dos and don’ts.

As caregivers, how do we beat feelings of holiday blues so that we can get through the next few weeks with our sanity in tact?

Chronic stress can lead to heart problems, sleep disorders, inflammation, compromised immune function and depression. All caregivers must learn to effectively manage their stress levels. Otherwise, our care recipients may outlive us.

Dementia undoubtedly alters relationships, but it does not completely erase them. There is new research that uncovers a truth many Alzheimer's caregivers have always known: just because a person can't remember doesn't meant they can't feel. In fact, the more impaired a person's memory of a specific event is, the stronger their feelings, both positive and negative, about that experience will be.

Elders with both physical and mental illnesses are incredibly vulnerable. Most of us understand that these two “sides” of health are connected, but even medical professionals sometimes struggle to provide whole-person care.

Can a caregiver "thrive" while looking after an aging loved one? Two psychologists weigh in on the benefits of the right relationships.

Does your loved one suffer from mental illness or any form of dementia that causes them to be delusional, have hallucinations or hear voices? How do you handle it?

When faced with the challenges of caregiving, sometimes it's necessary to reflect on a positive thought or two that encourages us to keep on doing what we do.

A popular belief is that professional caregivers aren't as emotionally invested in the well-being of their elderly clients and therefore the care they provide is substandard compared to that of family caregivers. But how true is this assumption?

After years of caregiving, it may seem as though stress is the new normal, but there are positive personal changes that arise from taking care of a loved one.

There’s no getting around it: being a long-term family caregiver is bound to impact how you think and who you are as a person. Discover how to recognize and embrace some of the personality changes caused by caregiving.

It can be hard to avoid passing judgement on other people whose elder care situations we don't fully understand. Keep these important points in mind before criticizing a fellow caregiver's decisions.

Family caregivers face singular situations and may thus benefit from individualized support, according to a new study.

Why do so many people still underestimate the value of family caregivers?