Take a Deep Breath: Stress Relief Techniques for Seniors

By Joanie Yeomans

In many ways, stress represents one of the few permanent components of life. At every point in our journey, positive or negative stressors will arise.

Stressed Out

For seniors, the stressors accompanying middle age, like raising children and career responsibilities, are exchanged for others. Seniors may begin to worry about their health deteriorating, lack of independence, financial management, who will care for them as they age, and the death or illness of spouses, close friends, and relatives. All these worries and concerns are natural. What is ultimately most important is that seniors cope with stress healthily.

Not doing so can lead to trouble at present and down the road.

Several studies have shown that stress is linked to mental and physical problems, from anxiety and depression to hypertension and immune system complications. It’s estimated that stress increases the risk of heart disease by 40%, heart attack by 25%, and stroke by 50%, not to mention the fact that stress can also exacerbate existing conditions – which is the last thing seniors need when their immune systems are already less efficient.

There’s no denying the negative effects of stress, but what can seniors do to manage their stress positively?

Fortunately, there are strategies to help deal with stress. Here are a few to consider.

1. Acceptance: Stress is a fact of life. Taking some of it in stride is critical to personal happiness and well-being. Studying and practicing your faith can be very helpful in this. For those who do not practice a particular religion, studying modern stoicism can be helpful.

2. Perspective: Compare the problems you are experiencing to those of seniors in third-world countries, lower socio-economic groups, or people around you who have experienced personal tragedies. There is always so much for which to feel deep gratitude. According to an article by the Mayo Clinic, gratitude can decrease depression, anxiety, difficulties with chronic pain, and risk of disease.

3. Self-awareness: Identifying the root cause of your stress can be very settling. Often, the issue we focus on is different from the real problem. It is an avoidance behavior. A problem can only be dealt with once it is identified. For example, a contributing factor in caregiver stress when dealing with a parent’s dementia is the caregiver’s fear that they are likely to develop dementia as well.

4. Anticipation: Be realistic about some of the different paths life can take. Be realistic, not pessimistic or idealistic. Ignoring potential outcomes and pretending they cannot happen to you sets you up to be blindsided, which always increases stress. In the example above, realizing that you could develop dementia like a parent allows you to take preventative measures and specify how you want to be cared for should that occur.

5. Mental Contrasting: This technique involves coming up with a plan in advance of negative outcomes so you can have a gritty response should they become a reality.

6. Seek wise counsel: Not all advice is good advice. Some are very detrimental. Lots of people like to impose their opinions as a way to validate themselves. Look for knowledgeable individuals who share your values and can consider your situation without personal bias.

All the best strategies still cannot eliminate stress from our lives entirely. Seniors can utilize techniques that help manage their stress response and improve their well-being.

What senior clients use to manage their stress today can help better prepare them for future stress. Don’t look for a silver bullet that will address all your stress. Use multiple strategies for the best outcome.

Stress Relief Techniques

· Meditate at the same time every day or whenever feelings of stress or anxiety arise.

· Practice deep breathing and mindfulness exercises.

· Reach out to friends and family to connect and spend time together.

· Follow a consistent exercise regimen and healthy diet, with physician approval.

· Journal or jot down thoughts and feelings at the end of each day – and take a moment to reflect on all the positive things that happened throughout the day.

· Volunteer time in the community or neighborhood.

· Put together and execute a to-do list to increase productivity, decrease feelings of restlessness, and combat procrastination.

· Clean and declutter your home. A clean, orderly environment reduces stress. The cleaning process creates feelings of empowerment by allowing you to control the things you can control.

· Discard unneeded items. Contemplate why you have been holding onto these items and decide to release them and the emotions tied to them.

· Join a yoga class or practice it at home (with physician approval).

· Listen to soothing or relaxing music, especially before bed.

· Find a way to laugh, whether by watching a funny TV show/movie or listening to a comedy recording.

· Take a trip out of town to take a break and recharge.

Comfort Keepers Can Help

At Comfort Keepers®, we have spent the last twenty years perfecting the art of helping seniors and other adults maintain their peace, happiness, and joy. Every moment in a senior’s life is a unique opportunity to foster positivity, going beyond daily tasks.

Our approach to care is called Interactive Caregiving™, a philosophy centered around four central aspects of life: mind, body, nutrition, and safety. Moreover, our trained caregivers are selected with one specific quality in mind: empathy.

Empathetic care is care that starts in the heart, and it allows us to meet our client’s exact needs. Like advice, there is a broad spectrum in the quality of in-home care, so choose wisely.