Aromatherapy for seniors and caregivers

It’s quite difficult to be the person whose body or mind is declining i.e they are aging. Also, caring for the older adult is equally tough. This chronic stress is believed to decrease the quality of life for both seniors and caregivers. It may also result in increasing the chances of developing serious physical and mental health issues.

Let’s discuss how scents can actually relieve stress and the underlying benefits of aromatherapy.

A simple, but effective, non-drug stress management technique is termed as aromatherapy. This therapy uses the powerful positive effect of scent on the body to help both the seniors and caregivers to improve their health and well-being.

How aroma relieves stress?

scents are considered to instantly trigger significant memories as well as affect the body’s nervous system. In case our nose smells something, the olfactory nerve is triggered. Thereby, it signals the parts of the brain that control emotions, mood, and memory. This part of the brain controls the autonomic nervous system which is also responsible for the fight or flight and relaxation responses i.e (reflex action).

Various research study shows that lavender essential oil can have a calming effect similar to that of anti-anxiety medications and that something very powerful. For instance, when you enter a spa center and smell the soothing and pleasing scent, you instantly start feeling calmer and more relaxed.

Key benefits of aromatherapy for seniors and caregivers

Seniors and caregivers can actually benefit from aromatherapy in many ways that include:

Stress Reduction
Improved and better sleep
Better digestion and reduction in constipation
Reduction in pain levels
Reduction in anxiety and depression

For seniors and elderly with Alzheimer’s or dementia, aromatherapy can help in reducing challenging behaviors that are generally caused by anxiety or mild discomfort.

How to should one use aromatherapy stress relief at home?

Aromatherapy is quite easy to put into practice. Every individual has a different scent preference, so one must start by identifying a couple of scents that they and their older adult preferably enjoy. Also, you need to experiment with different ways of scenting the environment until you find what works best.

Few of the popular scents that relieve stress and calms you down are:

Lavender
Rosemary
Peppermint
Ylang-ylang

There are various other scents available, so don’t just limit yourself to this list. What exactly pleases you and your elders will work just fine.

List of common ways to use essential oils:

Scented lotions
Bath Oils / Shower Tablets
Pillow Spray
Room Diffusers
Sachets

Not all responsibility can be born by the elders themselves and it’s completely ok to seek the help of senior care centers like Anvayaa. Once you have figured out your basic needs, it’s time that you evaluate which home care services are right for you and where to find the best providers. No doubt, it can be difficult to entrust your home or personal care to others, specifically if they are unknown. Whether you decide to engage a home care service provider directly or work through an agency, you can simply wipe off your fears by conducting some basic research.

You can start your search by seeking referrals from family, friends or neighbors. It can be simply frightening and painful to see someone your loved ones struggling to care for themselves. You might have also noticed that your loved one’s home has become much messier than it used to be. Therefore by suggesting to them a good senior health care center, you can completely help them out.