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Suicide can be very difficult to talk about. Many people try to steer away from such topics but it’s so important to be aware of it and try to understand why someone might even think of making this choice. For this reason, September 6-12, 2020 is dedicated to Suicide Prevention Week. Now you may be thinking, why are we talking about this? Unfortunately, with age, it actually becomes more common than you think.

The main reason for suicide at any age is a feeling of loneliness. People who are constantly misunderstood or just live alone can often feel very lonely which can lead to depression. Often such people suffer from alexithymia when a person does not have enough words to describe and express their feelings. As a result, elder people do not feel like they belong to a society.

As soon as you have suspicions about a person’s suicidal thoughts, you must take certain measures. Someone might say that the elderly may say these things to just get attention, but remember that in this case, your attention is really important for them. Your main task is to find ways to convey your love to them, without having to spend much money or time.

What Are The Main Signs That To Be  Aware of??

People with depression are much more prone to suicidal thoughts than others. Depressed people cannot control their negative thoughts even if in other situations they showed perseverance and hard-working skills. Most seniors need regular support, words of love to make sure that their children still need them. Here is the list of depression signs which indicate that a person needs additional attention:

  • Disrupted appetite and sleep. Depressed people lose their appetite or eat in unlimited quantities. Sleep and fatigue are other major problems. Seniors with depression may wake up early, often cannot sleep at all or sleep much more than usual.
  • Apathy and ruminating over the negatives. Some elders with depression function despite their illness, while others are not even able to perform simple daily activities such as getting dressed, cooking, or eating.
  • Losing interest in the things that they enjoyed before. Such elderly citizens are especially irritable or apathetic, look restless and agitated. The idea of retirement may often cause depression.
  • Thinking, moving, and speaking slower than usual. In such cases, seniors complain of strange incomprehensible pain in the whole body. It is difficult for a depressed person to make any decisions, they express feelings of emptiness and guilt.

Depression in elder citizens is accompanied by anxiety, excessive fussiness, confusion, disorientation, loss of memory, inattention, and absent-mindedness. It is really hard enough to recognize depression in people because many of the symptoms are similar to the symptoms of senile diseases.

All Heart Homecare team members know that depression in seniors should not be ignored as it, unfortunately, can lead to suicide. Daily communication, attention, and care will help your elder relative feel that they are not alone!

For more support with your loved one’s health, contact All Heart Homecare Agency today!