Managing Seasonal Affective Disorder for Residents in a Nursing Home Facility NJ

Depression, unfortunately, is an all too common occurrence for residents living in a nursing home facility NJ. During the fall and winter months, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression, can affect anyone, including residents. Learn about what seasonal affective disorder is, the symptoms, and how it can be treated.

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder and How Does It Affect Residents in a Nursing Home Facility NJ?

Seasonal affective disorder is recurring depression that occurs during some of the changing seasons, mostly during fall and winter. The disorder may begin in young adults, but can develop at any point in a person’s life. Residents in a nursing home facility NJ are susceptible to feelings of loneliness and depression and the changing seasons can also have an affect on them.

Detecting the Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder for Residents in a Nursing Home Facility NJ

The symptoms for seasonal affective disorder are very similar to those of depression. The staff, nurses and physicians, in the nursing home facility NJ should be aware of the symptoms of depression and seasonal affective disorder and how to detect it in residents. However, if you are visiting a loved one or friend in the nursing home facility NJ and you think that they may be affected by the disorder, look for these key symptoms. The resident may feel anxiety, a loss of energy, weight gain, increase in appetite, difficulty concentrating, and depression. The symptoms for residents who have seasonal affective disorder in the fall and winter may be slightly different than those who have it during the spring and summer months, which is not as common. In addition to the symptoms mentioned, residents who have the disorder during the spring and summer months have other symptoms as well, including trouble sleeping, irritability, and agitation.

Treating Seasonal Affective Disorder for Residents in a Nursing Home Facility NJ

There are a few different ways that depression can be treated, including the use of anti-depressant drugs. Another way, especially for this type of disorder, is through light therapy. There have been many studies that show that there is in fact a connection between light and a person’s overall mood. Because many residents are inside the nursing home facility NJ much of the time, they are not exposed to as much natural light as other people. Natural light can help people’s hormones remain balanced, including the right levels of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin helps soothe a person’s mood. Therefore, light therapy is a viable option for residents living in a nursing home facility NJ. Light therapy is not only used to help with seasonal affective disorder, but also to help residents sleep better.

Know the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder and how it is detected so that residents in nursing home facilities NJ do not go untreated. Nobody should have to live with seasonal affective disorder or any type of depression, including residents in nursing home facilities NJ.