Psychotherapy in Nursing Homes
As we begin to adjust to a post-pandemic world, many people are experiencing symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress (PTS).
This could be from having an encounter with Covid-19, experiencing durations of social isolation, or retaining fears about the virus even after vaccinations. With this reality in mind please consider the following tips to maintaining your mental health throughout this time:
- Identify your triggers: PTS or anxiety may emerge when you least expect it. For example, you are in line at the grocery store and someone behind you coughs. This triggers racing thoughts, blurred visions, sporadic breathing, and reliving past experiences. Identifying triggers is the first step to relieving them.
- Try new coping skills: After identifying triggers, it is helpful to have a few tools readily available to cope with PTS. A great strategy to implement are breathing exercises, such as taking deep breaths in through your nose holding them for three seconds and then exhaling slowly. This will help to control your heart rate and clear your mind.
- Seek aid: If you find that you are continuing to experience symptoms of PTS that are debilitating to your daily life, it could be helpful to take a next step and speak to a clinical psychologist. Managing your mental health during times of transition and societal turmoil is extremely difficult, and you don’t have to go through it alone.
We hope you find these strategies helpful in navigating relationships during these uncertain times. Additionally, please consider referring residents to your faculty psychologist if this process becomes overwhelming.
Combating Isolation & Loneliness
Psychotherapy in nursing homes often focuses on feelings of being disconnected from family or the world beyond the walls of a skilled nursing facility. Well-trained psychologists are adept at creating a safe space in which people can process these emotions and develop coping mechanisms to foster a sense of connection and belonging.
Adjusting to a New Environment
Moving to a nursing home is a significant life change. Mental and emotional muscles will likely be taxed in ways they haven’t been before. Psychotherapy can be a useful forum to take stock of one’s inner life. From there, therapists can help residents adapt to their new environment, explore new relationships, and work toward a positive understanding of their new life situation.
Maintaining Cognitive Function
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psychotherapy modality that often finds success. CBT is about examining thought patterns, identifying unhelpful ones, and working to re-route our responses to the world. CBT can stimulate mental engagement, potentially slowing cognitive decline and helping residents maintain a sense of autonomy.
Managing Stress Due to Illness
Many residents of SKF/nursing homes live with chronic illness of one kind or another. Such chronic conditions can leave people feeling overwhelmed by irritation and pain, uncertainty and dependency. Psychotherapy provides tools to re-frame one’s reaction to the realities of long-term illness, resulting in less stress and an overall improvement in quality of life.
Fostering Relationships & Communication
Family dynamics can shift dramatically when a loved one enters a nursing home. Psychotherapy can facilitate better communication, helping residents and their families navigate these changes with empathy and understanding.
Our psychologists aim to be neutral sounding boards for the concerns and feelings of both nursing home residents and family members. By encouraging everyone to share their perspective, psychologists make all parties feel heard and then begin the process of bringing challenges and opportunities to light to help foster more positive relationship and communication dynamics.
Pacific Coast Psychology Provides Psychotherapy in Nursing Homes
Psychotherapy can be a game-changer for residents in nursing homes. Life in a nursing home comes with a mix of adjustments—some welcome, others less so. Psychotherapy provides a space to navigate these changes with compassion and care.
At Pacific Coast Psychology, we have partnered with dozens of skilled nursing facilities across California, offering effective mental health solutions that address the complex needs of both residents and staff.
Interested in learning more? Reach out for a consultation today, and let us help your facility thrive.