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How To Overcome Pandemic Fatigue In Seniors

Sep 29, 2021

The 2020 pandemic had a major impact on everyone's lives, from dealing with the virus itself or trying to maintain a positive energy in those hard times. However, seniors were the one that suffered the most. 


From being the most vulnerable to the virus to deal with their health issues. One of the many challenges the elderly had was dealing with pandemic fatigue.


What is Pandemic Fatigue?

With age comes the possibility of developing depression, and a way you can avoid it is to maintain a relationship with your loved one, such as gathering and chatting. One of the most important recommendations the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gave was to avoid gathering and social interactions. For seniors, this was extremely painful. 


When it comes to describing what fatigue in seniors is, two types of concepts have to be mentioned: mental and physical fatigue. Physical fatigue can be caused by stress or an underlying medical condition, while mental fatigue involves a very low energy level and lack of focus. 


Symptoms 

Some of the symptoms that were identified with pandemic fatigue were the following:


  • Change of sleeping and eating habits
  • Negative mood changes (sadness, anxiety, stress, tension)
  • No motivation
  • Social isolation

How to Overcome It 

Seniors that suffer from fatigue, in this case, must understand that their body has its limits. If they try to ignore the fatigue, it will only get worse. To cope with fatigue in seniors, three main aspects must be considered: eating healthy, exercising regularly, and getting enough rest..


Eating healthy

A healthy diet with little but frequent meals is the perfect way to keep energy levels high. For instance, if seniors take three big meals a day, around 14 hours will separate the first meal from the last. That is plenty of time for their body to start feeling hungry, which means that fewer energy levels are expended during this period.


On the other hand, smaller but more frequent meals, like seven times a day, for example, will prevent seniors from dealing with hunger and fatigue simultaneously.


Exercising Regularly

It is not a secret that being active boosts energy levels, so seniors must engage in physical activity daily if they want to feel good. Even something as simple as going for a walk can have an amazing effect on one’s mental state and contribute towards fatigue prevention.


Getting enough rest

Finally, seniors have to make sure they get enough rest at night. They must get a good amount of sleep every day to deal with the difficulties of 2020. If getting enough sleep is not possible, naps can always do the trick, but it has to be regulated because sleeping too much can also trigger fatigue.




We’ll help you

2020 was a year unlike any other, and it brought many health and mental issues to the table. In this case, coping with fatigue in seniors is not easy since they have to deal with a lot of stress daily. Many elder care home care centers are aware of the situation and have implemented plans to deal with this situation. 


If you're looking for home care for elderly in Westchester, contact Eldercare Home to create a loving and safe environment.From assistance to companionship, they are there for your loved one. 


Eldercare is a home care for elderly in Westchester that invests time and effort to find and train people passionate about elder care home care & in-home health care services. 



CONTACT ELDER CARE HOMECARE TODAY
Need Care For You or Your Loved One? 
We Can Help!

Call Us Today: (914) 268-6221

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