Alternative Therapies: Ideas for Supporting Senior Mental Health

On our blog, we have previously talked about senior mental health risks and therapy activities for elderly individuals and groups using art or music. Art therapy and music therapy are some better known alternative therapies for senior citizens; they can be done with a professional, alone, or in a group, and are often a good resource for seniors with cognitive decline or memory loss.

There are additional therapeutic activities for the elderly that can be incorporated into daily life to soothe and inspire. These can be done as part of a preventative mental health plan or alongside mental health treatment. (As ever, be sure to talk to a doctor before beginning any new activity, and seek professional diagnosis, treatment, and supervision for mental health conditions.)

The following are some of the most popular types of alternative therapy for seniors.

Pet Therapy

If you’ve ever visited a hospital or nursing home with visiting pets, you know they meet with great enthusiasm! Proven benefits of animal-assisted therapy include faster recovery from acute health conditions (due to reduced stress and associated markers, like blood pressure) and improved mood. Trained animals can orient and comfort elderly dementia patients and emotionally support seniors during health procedures like MRI scans. Pet therapy benefits are also observed with chronic pain, stroke, and cardiovascular disease patients.

Petting a furry friend for even fifteen minutes increases serotonin levels in the brain, bringing a sense of calm and wellbeing. Playing with pets is mentally stimulating and can offer opportunities for low impact exercise, such as walking a dog or playing fetch. The socialization, affection, and care make pet therapy helpful for preventing and treating depression in seniors.

Formal, licensed pet therapy is available across the country, often as nonprofit horse ranches or as visits from trained service animals to senior centers and adult daycares. An occupational therapist can often point you in this direction, or provide it themselves.

For some seniors, having their own pet is a great option for constant companionship and stimulation, as well as exercise. The senior’s health, lifestyle, abilities, and energy level should be considered before getting a pet, as well as the cost of caring for it. The therapeutic benefits of pets are also available to seniors who cannot care for one at home; think petting zoos or visiting with a neighbor’s cat. If your family has pets, consider bringing them to your elderly parents’ home for a visit, if it’s something they would enjoy.

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy benefits start at simple relaxation and extend to sleep and memory. Aromatherapy entails diffusing scent—usually as an essential oil—specifically chosen for properties like anxiety-reduction. Numerous studies show benefits of essential oils for anxiety and sleep, which can improve seniors’ quality of life.

One of the more common choices of essential oils is lavender, which has long been known to help relieve stress and promote sleep. Scents such as peppermint are thought to help increase alertness, rosemary to promote memory, and orange to boost mood and energy.

Aromatherapy can be incorporated as part of massage, baths, or by using candles and scent diffusers. Some herbal teas and body lotions use aromatherapy properties to market themselves as stress-relieving or sleep-promoting. Be sure to consult your elderly loved one’s doctor or geriatrician before directing them to any new product to guard against allergic reactions or medication interactions.

Yoga and Meditation

While not the same, yoga and meditation are two types of popular, related therapeutic activities that can be adapted for seniors.

Yoga for elderly individuals (including chair yoga) is tailored by an experienced professional to prevent injury while increasing flexibility and strength. Besides physical benefits, yoga provides emotional benefits like higher self-confidence and self-awareness that can combat anxiety and depression symptoms. Yoga is usually practiced in a calm environment, in silence or with relaxing music, and encourages patience and compassion. Group classes exist for geriatric yoga and can be found through online search, your local senior center or community center, or a physical therapist. It can also be done at home, once the senior is trained in yoga poses and for injury prevention.

Meditation is a guided mental exercise that teaches the senior to focus on the present and all its sensations. While not for everyone, some seniors feel benefits like a sense of peace and self-acceptance, which promotes overall mental health. In addition to group offerings, meditation phone apps or online videos allow seniors to learn routines at home.

 Breath Work

Therapeutic breathing exercises can be part of yoga or meditation, but they can also be done on their own. Done regularly, they have been found to increase emotional wellbeing, curb stress, and benefit the diaphragm and lungs. It’s no wonder breath work finds its way into the beginning and end of many group therapy classes and individual therapy sessions.

Breath work is very simple to take up as a routine. Some common techniques are:

• Belly breathing: Sit or lie down, place your hand on your belly, and breathe in slowly through your nose such that your hand and belly rise. Breathe out slowly, letting them fall. Repeat slow belly breaths for five minutes (work your way to up five, if needed).
• Pursed lip breathing: Sit or lie down and breathe in slowly through your nose. Purse your lips as if you were going to whistle, then exhale the breath slowly. Repeat seven more times.
• Box breathing: Inhale slowly through your nose for four seconds. Hold your breath for four seconds. Exhale for four seconds. Hold again for four seconds. Repeat the “box” for five minutes.
• Alternate nostril breathing: Put a finger against your right nostril and inhale slowly through your left nostril. Hold your breath for two seconds while you switch to holding a finger against your left nostril; exhale through your right nostril. Keep your finger against your left nostril and breathe in through your right; switch, and exhale through your left. Repeat the cycle for five minutes.

These techniques can be done with closed eyes for a more relaxing effect. Be sure to choose a quiet place where you will not be interrupted.

Alternative therapies can complement traditional mental health therapy for seniors and are an accessible resource for senior wellness, even for those who are homebound. If your loved one needs home care, our VetAssist mission is to make home care easily and quickly accessible for those who qualify through the VA Pension with Aid and Attendance benefit. Veterans Home Care can help you determine whether you or your loved one will be eligible to receive the benefit, which can cover some or all of the cost of home care, and we make it easy to apply. Chat with us via our website, or call us at (888) 314-6075.