Can a Psychologist Help My Aging Parent?

For the vast majority of people, there will come a time when one has to watch one’s parents deteriorate with age. While this is a difficult period, there are ways you can help your aging parent cope with the process of aging.

While many are more concerned with the physical health of aging adults, the psychological experiences of these individuals are just as important. Just as there are psychologists for women, children, and other groups of people, there are psychologists with a specialized skillset geared toward older adults.

Understanding the ways that psychologists can help older adults can make enlisting help for your aging parent feel more accessible.

Here are some ways that psychologists can help your aging parents.

Ensuring Connections

In today’s modern age, one of the biggest psychological problems that older adults face is feelings of isolation. As the world has become more work-oriented, children and extended family have less time to spend with aging relatives. Unfortunately, many are unaware that their aging loved ones may be experiencing these feelings of loneliness. Psychologists can help you address this specific problem and work to remedy it.

If you are looking for a clinical psychologist near me, you may be able to find one who specializes in connecting aging adults with meaningful social activities and relationships. This can significantly improve their mental and emotional well-being.

Psychologists are trained to spot mental ailments in people such as profound feelings of isolation. By enlisting the help of a psychologist, you’ll be able to determine whether your aging parents are afflicted by these negative feelings.

In addition, psychologists will be able to provide you with both suggestions and resources to help give your aging parent a renewed sense of connection to others.

Dealing With the Struggle of Aging

Though older adults may lose some of their capacity to express themselves as they age, they don’t lose their capacity to feel emotions. The mental stress and anguish that comes from aging, losing mobility, and lacking agency can take a heavy toll on anyone. Psychologists can not only help establish whether your aging parent is experiencing these feelings but can also help them work through them.

Psychologists in different fields will also be able to help your parents in different ways. When it comes to applied vs. clinical psychology, determining which type of psychologist best suits the needs of your aging parent depends on a number of factors. Whereas clinical psychologists specialize in helping people remedy certain behaviors, such as aggression and substance abuse, applied psychology utilizes psychological concepts to help address problems happening in people’s lives. Depending on your aging parent’s needs, both of these types of psychologists could potentially help them cope with the struggles of aging.

Ensuring Mental Stimulation

As older adults age, cognitive decline is a significant risk to their quality of life. In many cases, a lack of cognitive stimulation can result in a more severe and rapid decline. Unfortunately, it can be difficult for untrained professionals to determine if this is the case. Thankfully, there are psychologists with the specialized knowledge to assess your aging parent and determine whether or not they are lacking adequate mental stimulation.

Psychologists will have the tools and suggestions needed to provide your aging parent with the mental stimulation they need to keep their minds healthy and alert. As such, enlisting the help of a psychologist can help you assure that your aging loved ones have all of the resources that they need to keep their minds sharp.

Improving Quality of Life

An important aspect of anyone’s quality of life is their mental state. Though physical ailments may affect the physical health of older adults, there are ways to cope with this and improve one’s quality of and outlook on life. Psychologists can help your aging parent process what is happening to them and improve the way they view their life.

Psychologists have the skills to aid older adults in working through negative emotions and living a higher quality life. The happiness of your aging parent is likely a significant priority of yours and enlisting the help of a psychologist can help you ensure that you’re doing everything in your power to help them achieve a state of mental wellness.

Having a Space to Unload Stress

For those who have to care for an aging parent, being the scapegoat for a parent’s stress can be an overwhelmingly negative experience. Providing your aging parent with a space to unload stress and express frustrations can actually improve how they interact with you and other loved ones. Sessions with psychologists can help your aging parent release all of the pent-up negative emotions that they’re harboring so that they don’t take it out on you.

However, growing older can be a trying experience and it’s not fair to expect your aging parent to keep all of their negative emotions inside. Speaking to a psychologist and expressing their frustrations can act as a cathartic experience for your parent that helps them relax and let go of some of their stress. Accordingly, psychologists can help your parents relieve some of their stress, anxiety, and frustration while potentially improving the quality of interactions you have with them.

Psychologists Can Help Your Aging Parent Live a Better Life

Though watching your parent age is never easy, taking key steps to improve their lives can help make the experience better. Psychologists can aid your aging parent in a number of profound ways ranging from providing mental stimulation to offering a space to let go of stress.

So, if you’ve found yourself struggling to help your aging loved ones, think about reaching out to a psychologist to help your parent find some psychological clarity and mental respite in their elderly years.