Close to the greenery of Pine Meadow and Johnson Pond, TerraBella Fuquay-Varina is the perfect community for seniors to find a new lease of life. However, mental health stigma often interferes with emotional support for seniors who are looking for a community in which they can enjoy their retirement.
However, what is stigma in mental health, and how can our senior care resources in Fuquay-Varina, NC, help overcome it?
Below, we discuss senior mental health awareness in aging residents of TerraBella Fuquay-Varina and the support we offer when faced with stigma and older adults. Read on to discover how we do everything we can to help those in our care move past a legacy of prejudice towards mental health issues and live a healthier life.
Emotional wellness support is imperative for those facing significant changes in their life or losses that affect their emotional state. Sadly, with loved ones undergoing retirement, that can start to happen more often. However, mental health stigma is a set of beliefs that many seniors hold to that tells them they don't deserve the support, or that it's only for "weak" people.
Many years of hearing epithets cast at those who have expressed mental health problems, or worries about simply getting older and being seen as "senile," can lead to many withdrawing from the possibility of conversations about their cognitive status. When this occurs, their issues can seem even more insurmountable, and people can lose hope.
They may withdraw further, leading to an exacerbation of the issues and reinforcing their internal shame and belief that "it's all in their head," as they occasionally engage with others who do not seem to have the same problems. These feelings can amplify their isolation, preventing them from seeking help, even among friends and family, as they may feel like they have started to become a burden.
Due to the lack of support for many elderly relatives when your loved ones were themselves younger, the feeling of being a burden may become stronger, leading to them wanting to escape from the lives of those they love entirely. They do not wish to become labeled as "difficult", and they will not ask for help with seeking diagnoses, treatments, or other essential steps.
For those whose families still hold onto these outdated beliefs, the crisis is even more severe.
Our team at TerraBella Fuquay-Varina considers caring for those in need a priority. We design our support to target every aspect of a senior's life, including both their mental and physical well-being. Our staff have the training necessary to recognize when someone is in need and can engage with them to help them break the silence that is causing them to suffer more.
We will create spaces where our community's residents can open up and engage in honest discussions. We will also openly discuss the need to engage in this way to help one another as a healthy community. Our staff have the knowledge of what words to say and assistance to offer when necessary, giving people the space they need to open up, even if it doesn't happen right away.
Our staff organizes regular opportunities for residents to engage with one another and create chances for social interaction. These help seniors continue discussing their lives with others and prevent them from experiencing complete withdrawal. Some examples of these include:
We watch for emotional disregulation or hidden signs of distress in someone's apartment during our rounds. These may vary for each resident, and we go beyond simply checking for the most obvious ones.
We can then discuss the reasons behind the things we have witnessed with the senior. For example, if we notice they have dropped something and are unable to pick it up, we will normalize it, allowing them to feel comfortable with it and showing them that it's okay to be vulnerable. This creation of a more open discussion can then lead to later, more serious conversations, but we understand they sometimes take time.
These are not always dedicated mental health groups. Even a book club or storytelling circle can serve as a form of support group, simply by showing others that everyone can engage in conversation with one another.
Encouraging these activities brings together those in our care through memory care and connection. At the same time, mental health education for seniors helps residents open up with one another about the various stresses in their lives and create supportive networks beyond the location's staff.
We utilize arts and crafts, exercise sessions, and various other opportunities to enable people to learn and help residents create experiences they can share with others. It also offers residents a way to define or redefine themselves, especially after a difficult period.
Overcoming the combination of stigma and aging, whether internal or external, can be challenging. However, we try to keep an eye on the activities our residents engage in. When a staff member notices something, they will record it for both the memory care staff and any loved ones to respond to when appropriate.
Examples of things we look out for, which you can also keep an eye out for, include:
What is stigma in mental health, if not a challenge that your loved ones can overcome with the support of the staff at a location like TerraBella Fuquay-Varina? When mental health is no longer taboo, like in our community, we can help them recover faster and manage the rest of their life that much easier.
To learn how a location like TerraBella Fuquay-Varina champions emotional honesty and overcomes stigma, schedule a visit for a tour. Discover what our community is like and observe how our staff and residents interact daily. We think you'll be impressed.