Losing a spouse at any age takes its toll. It is heartbreaking, traumatic, and emotional. If your elderly loved one has been with their spouse for a long time, it may take them a long time before they are even close to okay, if they ever get to the point of feeling okay. The memories made throughout the years with their spouse won’t just be forgotten. They won’t just get over it. The loss of a spouse affects people in numerous ways. As a family caregiver, learning about the ways it could affect your elderly loved one could help you and a companion care at home provider to better care for and support them during this grieving process.
Dealing with Grief and Any Physical Effects
If your elderly loved one loses their spouse, the toll it is going to take on them can be profound. You might expect it to affect their mental health – maybe even cause depression. However, did you know that studies show losing a spouse can affect a person’s physical health, too. In fact, some elderly people who lose their spouse end up with:
- * Chronic pain
- * Weight gain or weight loss
- * Diabetes
While there isn’t an exact correlation between some of these diseases and grief, the connection can still be made.
Higher Heart Attack Risk
If your elderly loved one’s spouse passes away, they have a higher risk of having a heart attack, too. The primary reason for this is the stress associated with losing their spouse. In addition, if your elderly loved one already has heart issues, the risk of having a heart attack after their spouse passes away is even greater.
Effects of Grieving
Unfortunately, the grieving process isn’t a science. There is no rhyme or reason to the effects that it can cause. Not everyone will experience the grieving process in the same way. However, some of the effects that grieving can have on your elderly loved one include:
- * Not being able to manage their emotions
- * Being irritable all the time
- * Sleep issues
- * High anxiety and stress
This is just the beginning of the effects grieving can cause. If your elderly loved one is grieving, it might help them to have support such as from you and companion care at home providers.
Having Companion Care at Home Services for Support
The loss of a spouse, especially in the elderly years, can be extremely devastating. Of course it is at any time, but the profound health effects it can have on the elderly is extreme. It is important that you or companion care at home providers help your elderly loved one in any way you can.
Source: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/mourning-death-spouse