Each New Year brings a promise of a new beginning. It’s a chance to wipe the slate clean and start anew. Many of us make resolutions to lose weight, eat healthier, devote more time to family, bring more energy to our work, etc.

I think we’d agree that those are all admirable things to pursue. In fact, any commitment to improve or get better at any aspect in our lives is preferable to staying in a damaging rut. January 1 is historically when most of us take a look and make these commitments. To everyone making a resolution to improve something in 2019, I wish you all the best and hope you succeed!

At Home Helpers, we’ve made Exceptional Care. Exceptional Caregivers®. our focus. We’re going to stick with that because it encapsulates everything we’re about. Year after year we find that this commitment is what drives our success. We celebrate it annually with our Exceptional Caregiver Awards and will continue to do so forever as far as I’m concerned.

But while our commitment remains the same, we’ll always look for ways to improve how we provide that Exceptional Care. Behind the scenes we’ve invested in new technology that provides clients and families more immediate feedback on scheduling, activities and any issues that need to be addressed. Using the Family Room feature on your laptop, tablet or mobile phone, you can get real time information about your loved one’s care.

We’re also developing new partnerships to help families pay for care and gain access to any earned benefits to which they’re entitled. We’ll be announcing these soon and I look forward to seeing how many additional families will get the in-home care they need for their loved ones.

So while our commitment remains the same, we will continue to look for every possible way to make our promise to provide Exceptional Care even stronger.

October is Depression Awareness Month. This year, depression has been an especially important focus as we deal with dramatic changes to our lives caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

There’s been a steady stream of research concerning mental health during this time. Many experts report an increase in psychological distress as people feel apprehension about contracting the new virus, suffer loneliness as they’re social distancing, worry about their financial condition, and lose sleep over the well-being of those they love.

“Understanding the psychological side of this pandemic has been somewhat neglected because there is so much else that is of concern right now,” said Olafur Palsson, Psy.D., professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina Medicine. Palsson recently polled a group of people nationwide. “Our survey findings indicate that the anxiety and depression related to the emotional impact of these events are pushing more and more people into the clinical category of what is diagnosable as a mental health condition,” said Palsson. “We want people to seek the help they need.”

As expected, older adults have experienced the greatest impact from social distancing. Many of their traditional sources of connection and mental stimulation are now off-limits. They miss their grandkids. They feel the loss of simple pleasures like a leisurely trip to the grocery store or hanging out at the senior center. Social isolation has left a big hole in their routines … a hole that can lead to serious depression.

So in our eagerness to shield older adults from COVID-19, we should not minimize the health impact of depression. Did you know that the World Health Organization cites depression as the No. 1 cause of ill health and disability worldwide? They report that more than 300 million people worldwide are living with depression, among them many older adults.

The underlying brain changes that cause depression are more common as we grow older—so are other risk factors, including poor health, inactivity, chronic pain, sensory loss, loneliness and isolation, medication side effects, and stressful life changes such as the loss of a spouse.

If depression persists for more than a few weeks, it raises the risk of other serious health problems. Consider these two studies:

• Research from Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City showed that depression doubles the risk of early death among patients with coronary heart disease—and heart disease, in turn, raises the risk of depression. “Heart disease and depression have a two-way relationship,” reported the research team.

• Dementia and depression also interact. Depression can be a side effect of memory loss, but also, “Inflammation of the brain tissue that occurs when a person is depressed might impact the risk of dementia,” explained University of Massachusetts Medical School researcher Jane Saczynski, Ph.D. “Certain proteins found in the brain that increase with depression may also increase the risk.”

Depression also raises the risk of diabetes, stroke, hypertension, sleep disorders and infection. It makes it harder for seniors to manage those conditions. It is linked with substance abuse and suicide risk.

Here are common signs that a senior may be experiencing depression:

• Persistent sadness, feelings of hopelessness.
• A sense of worthlessness.
• Loss of interest in things they once enjoyed.
• Irritability, anxiety, restlessness.
• Fatigue, slow movements, loss of energy.
• Difficulty concentrating.
• A change in appetite.
• Substance abuse—drinking too much, smoking more, using dangerous drugs.

If you notice these symptoms in a senior loved one, don’t ignore the problem. Talk about it. Though older adults are more likely to experience depression, they are less likely to report it to the doctor. This is too bad, because depression is treatable. It is not “just a normal part of growing older,” as many people think.

As a matter of fact, several recent studies suggest that older adults are exhibiting greater resilience in the face of the pandemic. In July 2020, Patrick Klaiber of the University of British Columbia remarked, “While older adults are faced with stressors such as higher rates of disease contraction, severe complications and mortality from COVID-19, they also possess more coping skills to deal with stress, as they are older and wiser.”

In-home care can help

To help a senior loved one better deal with symptoms of depression, the first step is to seek a thorough evaluation from the doctor. This might take place in the office with safe social distancing protocols in place, or via a telehealth visit. The doctor might recommend antidepressant medications, psychotherapy and/or beneficial lifestyle changes.

Following the healthcare provider’s instructions can be difficult for seniors who are living with mobility issues or other health problems—more so now as the pandemic has amplified the challenges. So today, while taking precautions to protect clients from COVID-19, professional in-home caregivers provide mood support in several ways:

Assistance with managing healthcare. Caregivers help clients keep track of doctor appointments and counseling sessions and can provide transportation and assistance as needed, or help clients set up telehealth visits. They also can pick up prescriptions and provide everyday health reminders.

Personal care. We feel so much better when we’re clean and well-groomed! Caregivers help clients with bathing, dressing and incontinence care, and can do laundry. Many seniors experience an enhanced sense of dignity and self-esteem when assistance is provided by a professional rather than by their spouse, children or other family members.

Help around the house … including the kitchen. In-home caregivers today are following COVID-19 safety protocols as they keep clients’ homes clean and in good order. And nutrition is another two-way street: A person with depression may not feel like cooking or eating, and the resulting poor diet worsens depression. Caregivers can go grocery shopping and prepare delicious meals and snacks.

The human touch. The companionship and socialization provided by in-home caregivers is extra precious these days! Caregivers help clients interrupt the cycle of disability, isolation and depression. Right at Home recognizes the value of matching clients with a compatible caregiver and creating a program of activities that the client and caregiver can enjoy together.

Supporting physical activity. Exercise is a key factor in depression busting. Yet seniors who are living with mobility, sensory or memory challenges may hesitate to exercise. Following the client’s healthcare provider’s advice, the caregiver can accompany the client on walks or supervise a home exercise program.

Helping preserve independence. The loss of physical and cognitive abilities can be a big factor in depression. The inability to do the things we once enjoyed, and to do them for ourselves, can cause our spirits to droop! A top goal of home care is to enable clients to face and overcome those challenges, to help them do the things they’ve always enjoyed, or to find new activities that provide a mood boost, even as many old favorites are temporarily off-limits.

Despite putting in a significant amount of time and effort, family caregivers rarely receive financial compensation. Many Americans who assist with the care of a family member juggle their caregiving responsibilities with jobs in order to earn a living. Among these caregivers, 75% of them work at least 30 hours per week, which can pose very real challenges relating to job performance, stress and mental health.

Fortunately, there are options that may be available to family caregivers in the form of employee work benefits.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Established in 1993, this federally mandated labor law, known as the FMLA, requires employers that meet certain criteria to provide their employees with unpaid job-protected leave for reasons relating to medical care, either for themselves or to assist in the care of a family member. Additionally, the law states that the employee’s health insurance coverage must not be interrupted and must continue throughout the period of their leave with the same terms and conditions that were in place before the leave was taken.

Eligible employees are entitled to 12 workweeks of leave per year for a variety of reasons, including the birth or adoption of a child; a serious illness or injury that makes the employee unable to perform the duties of the job; or to provide care to the employee’s spouse, parent or child experiencing a serious health condition. If you struggle to balance the duties of a job with the role of a caregiver, check with your employer to see if the FMLA is an option.

Paid Family Leave

Paid family leave is similar to the FMLA, with the main difference being that the employee will receive pay despite being on temporary leave. While this is not federally mandated like the FMLA, the number of states adopting paid family leave policies is on the rise.

Currently, 14% of U.S. workers have access to paid family leave, and this number continues to increase. Each state sets their own rules about the reasons for taking leave and the length of time an employee can be absent while receiving pay, so options may vary depending on where you live.

Working From Home

As technological capabilities continue to expand, more and more workplaces are offering employees the opportunity to work remotely. This can be a significant timesaver, especially for someone accustomed to long commutes. Depending on the position, working from home may sometimes equate to more flexibility—a quality that can be essential for working caregivers.

According to research compiled by Fundera, working from home was steadily on the rise even before the COVID-19 pandemic, with the number of telecommuting employees having grown 173% since 2005. Although policies on working from home have been trending upward over the past few years, Fundera still reports that only 7% of all employers in the United States provide the flexibility to telecommute, so if you are working from home temporarily due to the pandemic, it might take some extra negotiating to make that status permanent.

Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)

Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) are voluntary programs offered by employers. Their goal is to help employees navigate significant life challenges that have the potential to affect job performance. All parties benefit from these programs: Employees gain support, resources and job security in the midst of challenges, which can help lower stress and improve quality of life, while employers reduce turnover rates and avoid costly training expenses in the event that an unsupported employee is terminated due to poor performance. Additionally, these programs are a boon to company culture, reduce healthcare costs due to stress and mental health issues, and help reduce the likelihood of workplace accidents and other safety issues.

EAPs are confidential and may include assessments, counseling and outside referrals to relevant services. Circumstances that may qualify an employee for use of an EAP include serious medical conditions for themselves or family members, financial or legal issues, substance use disorders, and trauma management. Not all employers offer EAPs, but considering the ways in which they help organizations optimize success, many employers view them favorably.