Problem-Focused Coping Strategies for Seniors
The best way to tackle a problem is to meet it directly. Our initial reaction to dealing with negativity is to shy away from it, but doing so only serves to delay the inevitable. Rather than ignoring a problem and allowing it to loom large over our lives, it's better to face the music as soon as possible.
At Stoneridge at Centerra -- located in Loveland, only fifty miles north of Denver -- we believe in encouraging our seniors to practice problem-focused coping. If you'd like to learn about how we support our residents and our award-winning social programs, read on to find out more!
What Is Problem-Focused Coping?
Putting strategies in place to ensure we're not overwhelmed when our fortunes turn is good common sense. It's uncomfortable to consider how things might go wrong, especially when we're feeling good, but when they finally do, we're always glad we made the effort. This is the essence of problem-focused coping strategies, and we regularly see how effective they are at Stoneridge.
Problem-focused coping is a strategy that involves identifying the problem and meeting it head-on. Solutions tend to appear when a problem is considered calmly and carefully, allowing for progress to be made and stress to be relieved.
The steps we suggest are also simple and effective, making them perfect for stress management and dealing with a wide range of issues our seniors tackle on a daily basis.
Problem-Solving
Solving a problem requires attention, understanding, and a little creativity. To solve a problem, it's often best to break it down into manageable steps rather than trying to fix things all at once.
Biting off more than we can chew leads to feelings of hopelessness and despair, which is the opposite of the results we're looking for.
To solve the problem, it has to be understood from all available angles. Once we have a good grip on the issue and understand it thoroughly, the steps to put things right gradually become apparent. With each step in the right direction, things begin to feel more manageable as the problem shrinks.
The goal of teaching problem-solving is to help our seniors help themselves and empower them to tackle future issues head-on before they become problems at all.
Gathering Information
Knowledge is power, and the information we have available to us enables us to make informed decisions. With the right information, we're able to see solutions as they arise and choose between our options carefully.
Researching a subject also serves to do away with the fear that comes hand-in-hand with ignorance. We have powerful imaginations and love to catastrophize in the privacy of our minds. Looking into a subject so that we better understand it serves us well, and neatly does away with the unhelpful phantoms of our own creation that stop us from coping healthily.
Time Management
We're constantly battling with slipping into a state of unorganized chaos. It takes real effort to remain prompt and punctual.
Our world runs on the common agreement that times and dates are set in stone, and failure to adhere to them means:
- Stress
- Failure
- Disappointment
Time management is harder for some people than for others, but that doesn't mean it's any less important for them. Learning to prioritize tasks and keep to a schedule is a wonderfully helpful skill when faced with the trials of daily life, and helps us to cope significantly. The difference that's made in someone's life when they're finally feeling organized is stark and has to be seen to be believed.
Skill Development
Facing new hurdles is daunting when we're ill-equipped to deal with them. It's helpful to remember that we're capable of learning new things at every stage of life and that doing so is incredibly rewarding. Not only does skill development bolster our self-confidence, but it also directly enables us to do things we might not have been capable of previously.
In terms of resilience tools, learning new things and honing existing skills is among the very best. At Stoneridge at Centerra, we see the impact learning activities have on senior mental wellness and do our best to provide as many such opportunities as possible.
Accessing and Building Support Systems
Many of our most common problems stem from feeling alone. As human beings, we're social creatures who can't depend on ourselves for everything. Taking care to make friends and help others wherever possible stands us in good stead for receiving the help we need when we need it.
It's also a balm to our emotional health to help others, making support systems greatly beneficial to everyone with a part to play in them, however slight. At Stoneridge at Centerra, we believe an active community benefits everyone and aim to play a part ourselves.
Communication
Open and honest communication is a coping strategy we also find to be particularly helpful. For social animals, it's strangely easy for us to fall out of the routine of socializing. Reintegrating ourselves into social spheres and making friends provides ample opportunity to speak our minds and air our troubles.
We believe a problem shared is a problem halved. Our seniors regularly enjoy group discussions to ensure everyone gets to listen to their community, even if they're not ready to speak for themselves. Communication allows us to feel seen and heard, which is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Aging Support at Stoneridge at Centerra
We're proud to say our seniors are fast learners when it comes to problem-focused coping and are reaping the benefits. The difference that's made by giving an individual the tools they require to shore up their own mental health is impressive, to say the least. The real beauty of empowering people to help themselves is that once they've understood their ability, they're enthusiastic to teach others the same.
At Stoneridge at Centerra, our amenities include a dog park, a spa, a 24-hour fitness center, and an outdoor terrace with breathtaking views. If you'd like to learn more about our community, don't hesitate to reach out! We'd love to hear from you.