Help My Senior

Easing the struggle of the family caregiver

Empathy, Reassurance, and Coping Practices Are Effective

In the aftermath of the horrendous killing of seven parade-goers in Highland Park, IL on July 4, it’s good to learn about coping mechanisms that are helpful to the elderly who fear the possibility of violent action being done against them.

Older adults often feel traumatized and helpless upon learning about a mass killing, especially seeing it repeatedly portrayed in the media. In its wake they are exposed to strongly-expressed political solutions to such violence. The elderly often feel helpless in the face of it all, say two experts writing for the website of the National Council on Aging.

Nicole Newman and Lisa Brown, of Palo Alto University in California, offered various insights and ideas on this topic in an article on the NCOA website.

Unsettled after media reports

Although the authors addressed the issue of the elderly who were victims of gun violence at one time in their own lives, the authors’ findings would help any social worker or other healthcare professional working with older patients who are insecure or unsettled after media reports of  violent events.

The authors warn that older adults who depend on others for their activities of daily living are less likely to have positive outcomes from such stressors.

“Rather than guessing about how you should offer help and what type might be most beneficial,” say the authors, “your best option is to simply ask the older adult about their current health status, quality of life, and the type of help they might desire.”

Activities that calm

The authors offer these examples of self-care practices:

  • Journaling
  • Deep Breathing
  • Spending Time with Others
  • Gardening
  • Spending Time Outdoors in Nature
  • Taking a Bath
  • Doing Arts and Crafts
  • Walking
  • Taking a Class
  • Having Coffee or Lunch with a Friend
  • Talking to Someone Supportive
  • Playing a Game (e.g. cards, Scrabble)
  • Praying
  • Meditating
  • Cooking
  • Hobbies

It would seem that other groups who might be similarly disturbed are those recovering from injuries or surgical operations.

FirstLight Home Care of Deerfield/Lake Forest is familiar with the sensitivity of elderly persons who may feel acute symptoms in the days following a tragedy of this type. To accommodate those needs, FirstLight trains its caregivers in the skills of expressing empathy, offering reassurance, and listening to clients, especially in the days following news coverage of this kind.

You can rest assured that when you refer your patients to FirstLight, their caregivers will show your patients the utmost compassion and sympathy and make them feel safe.

Why not contact Caleb Johnson, FirstLight of Deerfield/Lake Forest owner, for qualified caregivers in the northern Cook or Lake counties? Call 224-880-6555. Or visit the local FirstLight website.

FirstLight has qualified and trained caregivers in these areas:

Arlington Hts., Palatine, Buffalo Grove, Libertyville, Lake Forest, Deerfield, Highland Park, Gurnee, Vernon Hills, Mundelein, Antioch, Waukegan, James A. Lovell VA Hospital, North Chicago.