Dealing with a disability at any age is difficult, but this especially true for elderly members of the population. Individuals who are 60 and older may find it exceptionally difficult to transfer from workplace to the other, learn new skills or even cope with working at all. Unfortunately, with age comes a variety of possibilities with regards to the development of a disability. It’s common for the elderly to develop a disability like chronic diseases, physical injuries, mental impairment and many others.
While the advent of a disability can be disheartening, and affect the ability to work and interact with others on a personal and social level, it’s important to remember that having a disability doesn’t signal the end of all happy experiences. There are many ways for coping with disabilities in your senior years, and how you do that directly affects the amount of optimism you have for recovery or living your life. Getting this aid will help you to overcome or cope with what’s holding you back and enable you to enjoy the time you have with your loved ones.
Coping
There are many affects which a disability has on you, and this includes your mental health. It’s easy to fall into the trap of depression and anxiety when faced with what seems to be an overwhelming obstacle in your elderly years. In many cases, individuals find themselves afflicted with chronic pain which they’re unable to overcome on their own, and this affects their quality of life. That, in turn, takes a toll on your self-perception and self-confidence, and it’s important to build that back up in order to cope with this tough time.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can help you realign negative thinking and become a more positive person, by training you to mentally cope with your disability. Help from a psychologist, doctor and physiotherapist is essential for a speedy recovery or a long-term solution for coping with pain or disability. Meditation is another great way to cope with negative thoughts or pain, and can help you establish a new thought process.
Help from Home
It takes many hands to make light work. That’s a mantra you should practice when coping with a disability. It’s not easy to bury pride and ask for help from loved ones or even medical practitioners, but it’s essential that you do. As you get older, your body deteriorates and the need for special care increases. Investing in a full-time nurse may be necessary if you have an injury or chronic illness which prevents you from performing day-to-day tasks with ease.
Having your family around can also be a source of great comfort and stability in both an emotional and physical way. Surround yourself with people that care about you and that you trust enough to lean on without the fear of being judged or treated as an invalid. Try to invest in a solid state of mind with the belief that you are not a burden and are doing the best you can. People who care about you won’t see you in a negative light.
Monetary Support
If you’re unable to work at all, it might be possible to claim for disability benefits. Depending on which state you’re in, you’ll be able to claim benefits for your disability based on a specific grid which measures your education, past work experience and the severity of your injury. Though it may sound complicated, there are plenty of facilities which can help you figure out this process. In Louisiana, for instance, you would be able to enlist the help of a Louisiana Disability Lawyer to guide you through the application process. If you’re deemed unable to perform work (sedentary or otherwise) and your claim is approved, you’ll be able to focus on coping rather than worrying about money.
Always get help from professionals, care from your family and enlist the help of a professional to ensure your monetary affairs are in order.