Handling stress and anxiety in the elderly

Guidance on managing stress and anxiety in the elderly

Stress and anxiety are common feelings experienced by older adults. Feelings of stress and anxiety can increase as people age, leading to isolation, loneliness, and a number of other mental health issues. Feeling this way for a long period of time could have hugely negative impacts on older people, and could even affect their physical health. Here, we are exploring the common causes of stress and anxiety, how they can affect health, helpful strategies for managing stress, how families can help older relatives experiencing stress, and how home care could provide additional support.  At Home Instead, our aim is to help people age positively and in place by bringing expert care to their home. For nearly 20 years, we have been providing the highest standard of care, and creating industry-leading training programmes for our Care Professionals that are accredited by nursing and medical professionals. Today, we are the world’s largest global domiciliary care network, supporting over 100,000 older adults with personalised, tailored care at home. So whatever questions you have about stress in older adults, we can help. 

What are the common causes of stress and anxiety in older people? 

There are a number of potential causes of stress and anxiety in older people, some similar to that of younger age groups, and some unique to the experience of ageing. The most common causes include: 

Increasing Health Issues

Older people are more prone to chronic illnesses, pain, and mobility issues, all of which can lead to anxious thoughts about what will happen in the future, and how they might remain living independently. These health issues can make older adults feel helpless, frustrated, and guilty if their loved ones must step in to help. Older people may also feel their limitations affect their sense of identity, or they could develop a fear of falling, becoming ill with no one around to help, or of ending up in a hospital environment. One study found that 55% of people over 55 years old worried most about their health. 

Loss of Loved Ones 

As the years pass, older adults are more likely to experience the loss of friends or family members, which can have a profound effect on their mental health. Whether stress due to caring for a terminally ill spouse, or anxiety from suddenly being left alone, the loss of a loved one can be a painful and worrying experience.  Grief can look different for everyone; it may cause feelings of despair, loneliness due to a sudden lack of companionship, and even anger at the loss of someone they love. Emotional support throughout bereavement is crucial for older people who may become socially isolated or depressed as a result. 

Loneliness and Social Isolation

For many people, loneliness and isolation are at the heart of anxiety and stress. With no one around to share worries with, they can grow until they feel much more significant. This is not to say some worries are not justified, but having someone to vent them to can make stress feel more manageable. Remember the adage, “a problem shared is a problem halved”.Things like retirement, mobility issues, or the loss of a spouse can lead to older people having less daily interactions, and over time this can cause them to feel unimportant and disconnected from their community. This can also lead to stress, and even a fear of being alone – for older people with health anxiety, this can feel frightening. You can learn more about this in our guide to signs of loneliness in the elderly.

Financial Concerns

According to Age UK, financial concerns are thought to be the top worry for 49% of UK adults, and while this can be stressful for any age group, for older adults who have retired and have no additional means of income, money worries can cause ongoing anxiety and stress. Those with a fixed income, savings, or who rely on their pension each month may experience times when they struggle to afford everything they need, such as Christmas presents, unexpected medical expenses or care needs, or heating costs in winter. Money worries can compound over time, making stress worse. You may find helpful advice in our guide to financial benefits for pensioners.

Life Transitions

Big life changes, whether positive or negative, can cause anxiety due to a lack of control and uncertainty about the future. Older adults may find these more stressful than younger age groups. For example when there is a big event to prepare for (such as a wedding), retirement, moving to a new home or care facility, the death of a spouse, a sudden increase in medical needs, and more. Even when life transitions are positive, like moving to a home that is more appropriate for their needs, an older person may still find this stressful. 

Loss of Independence

Losing independence over time due to increasing health or mobility issues can cause anxiety about things like getting help for specific needs, who will provide the support they need, and–if a professional caregiver is required–how they will afford this care. Whether for daily tasks, personal care, home cleaning, or mobility assistance, loss of independence requires forward planning to ensure they can continue to live the way they want to.

Memory Issues

When memory is impacted due to conditions like dementia, this can cause older people to feel anxious. They may feel unable to trust themselves, embarrassed about their forgetfulness, or frustrated when they are unable to remember important information. Knowing this will progress over time can lead to worries about the future of their care needs. 

Medication Side Effects 

Certain medications can cause side effects such as confusion, nausea, fatigue or sleep issues. Stress could increase as a result of these unwanted side effects due to a fear of adverse reactions occurring, or their negative impact on daily life. Other types of medications may affect mood directly, causing irritability, depression, anxiety or stress.

How can older people learn to manage stress and anxiety?

Managing stress and anxiety requires a different approach for everyone, but there are several ways older people may be able to reduce their day-to-day anxiety and become more mindful of rising stress before it becomes chronic stress. For example:

• Remove any acute source of stress, for example, if an older person is worried about being unable to care for a pet as they age, take steps to address their concerns by managing some of the responsibilities or having a professional caregiver contribute to pet care to ease their worries. 
• Build healthy habits like eating nutritious foods, staying hydrated, and quitting smoking, all of which can help people feel healthier and more able to tackle stress. 
• Limit caffeine intake, which has been known to increase anxiety for some people. A 2024 study found caffeine consumption could increase anxiety, particularly if the dosage exceeds 400mg.
• Spend more time with family and friends to tackle loneliness, or create more social connections within the local community.
• Find relaxation techniques that work, such as meditation, deep breathing, journaling, or spending time in nature.
• Start a gratitude practice to pull focus away from everyday stressors, and shift it towards good things in life to be thankful for.
• Get some movement in the day, through gentle activities like walking, stretching or tai chi, which can reduce tension in the body. You can learn more in our guide to fitness and exercise for the elderly.
• Try relaxation techniques like acupuncture, massage, or other holistic approaches to stress relief. 
• Create and maintain a daily routine with structure to provide a sense of control.
• Make time for stress-relieving hobbies, such as gardening, reading, knitting, games, or other creative activities offering respite from daily stress.
• Improve and increase the amount of sleep to feel rested throughout the day, and more able to handle stress.
• Seek support from a professional therapist or counsellor to address the underlying reasons for stress and anxiety.
• Seek advice and, if appropriate, medication from a doctor to address overwhelming anxiety issues or other mental health concerns. 

How can families help older loved ones to overcome stress and anxiety? 

Often, stress and anxiety can be reduced drastically just by having family and loved ones around to help ease any worries an older person is facing. By offering emotional support, companionship and practical assistance, an older relative’s stress could be greatly diminished, and they may feel more capable of tackling stress on their own in future. To help your loved one feel supported in this way, remember to:

• Watch for signs of loneliness, such as becoming increasingly dependent, depressed, ignoring personal care needs, and more. 
• Watch for symptoms of anxiety disorders in an older adult, such as irritability, focus issues, and muscle tension, and encourage them to seek professional help for this. 
• Communicate regularly, whether through phone calls, in-person visits, or video calls to make sure they know you are always around if they need you.
• Facilitate any activities that help to reduce feelings of loneliness, such as offering transport to social activities, picking up supplies for their hobbies, or going on walks with them to encourage gentle exercise.
• Organise fun, stress-free activities with you or other loved ones that will be enjoyable without causing an older person anxiety, such as a game night in their home. 
• Provide assistance with daily tasks like shopping for groceries, picking up prescriptions, and other things that could cause anxiety throughout the week.
• Encourage and help arrange professional support if they would like to try this, such as counselling or therapy appointments.
• Encourage them to eat well, get plenty of sleep, and be consistent with any stress-relieving activities they believe might work for them.
• Practice active listening and patience to ensure they feel heard and that their worries are acknowledged. 

Remember, even if something does not feel like a big deal to you, older people often experience more stress than younger age groups, so what may not feel challenging to you could be keeping them up at night. One study found that 26% of people feel relief when they confide in someone else about a problem, so providing a safe, non-judgemental space for a loved one to vent their worries could have a significant positive impact on an older person. 

How can home care help older adults with stress and anxiety?

Home care is another way to support older adults who are finding it difficult to manage stress and anxiety. This option offers personalised support with anything from personal care to housekeeping, as well as companionship to help tackle loneliness and enable them to talk about their worries. A care professional can offer the emotional support and reassurance needed to reduce feelings of isolation and overwhelm, and help them to maintain a structured routine to bring more stability and control to their life, even if they are experiencing mobility or health issues. Home care can help by recognising signs of stress or anxiety when they arise, and: 

• Providing personal care support if mobility or health issues are causing stress  
• Learning what triggers their stress and taking proactive measures to intervene 
• Taking over stressful housekeeping and home care tasks  
• Managing meal preparation to encourage a healthy lifestyle 
• Providing medication reminders to ease their worries about remembering this 
• Supporting other daily responsibilities to help older adults feel more relaxed
• Providing companionship and emotional support to tackle loneliness
• Facilitating social engagement and hobby activities to promote their wellbeing
• Assisting with transportation to local activities, doctor’s appointments and more 

If you or a loved one is experiencing stress or anxiety, our friendly, supportive Care Professionals can help by providing the support you need to maintain a stress-free environment and routine. From general companionship and mobility care to complex care and home help, whatever support you need, you can reach out to your local Home Instead office to discuss your options.We’re an award-winning home care provider and part of a worldwide organisation devoted to providing the highest-quality relationship-led care for older people in their own homes. Arranging care for yourself or your loved one shouldn’t be stressful, so whatever questions you would like answered, feel free to reach out to the Home Instead team to discuss your needs.