Caring for Seniors’ Mental State During the Pandemic [ASK A NURSE]

We had another edition of Ask a Nurse this morning on Michael and Maddie. Rochelle Allen joined us from AccentCare, a local home health and hospice company with branches a branch in Fall River, Methuen and Westwood.

August is National Wellness Month. Rochelle expressed some concern for everyone with regards to COVID-19, but in particular to senior citizens. She said that isolation can really take its toll on senior citizens who may not be socializing as much with their peers.

The main concern Rochelle has for senior citizens is for their mental health.

"As you get older, you have fewer visitors, you have fewer activities. It really affects their physical state as well as their mental state," she said. "They are not walking around as much or going out to meet someone for lunch. Mentally, we've seen significant decline due to the isolation and the strict rules on visitors and no stimulation."

AccentCare can help with these things. They have behavioral health nurses on the staff and evidence-based practice models that help mental health issues like depression and isolation. They have the ability to care for patients that have Alzheimer's, different forms of dementia, anxiety and cognitive issues.

AccentCare even has talk therapy. They have the ability to open a case and conduct visits virtually for people who may have concerns about physically being around people during the pandemic. These things can help their patients keep their brains active.

To find out more about AccentCare and how they might be able to help your family members, visit their website or call (508) 235-5312.