At Hilgay Care Home, we understand that life in a care home can be tough. Many of us can experience a drop in our self-esteem and therefore our mental health. Preserving our mental health is just as important as looking after our physical health, particularly as we age. At Hilgay, we understand this and ensure that our residents’ self-esteem is constantly monitored to ensure their mental health remains strong. This makes life in a care home far more comfortable. To learn more about our residential and respite services, explore our website or contact us today.
Why Can Self-Esteem Be Low in A Care Home?
There can be many reasons why self-esteem or confidence might be low in a care home. It could be due to physical health problems, social isolation or simply because residents feel they have lost their independence. Whatever the reason, it’s important to try and boost self-esteem to maintain good mental health.
A Decline in Physical Health
One of the main reasons for a drop in self-esteem in a care home can be a decline in physical health. This is often an inevitable part of ageing, but it can be hard to come to terms with. As our physical health deteriorates, we can feel like we are losing our independence and ability to do the things we used to enjoy. This can lead to a feeling of worthlessness and low self-esteem.
Isolation and Loneliness
Another common reason for low self-esteem in a care home is isolation and loneliness. It’s important to try and combat this by staying in touch with friends and family and getting involved in activities both in and outside of the care home. This can help residents feel more connected to the world and boost their self-esteem.
Loss of Independence
Many people in a care home can feel like they have lost their independence. This could be due to having to rely on others for help with everyday tasks, or simply because they are no longer able to leave the care home on their own. This can be a difficult adjustment to make, but it’s important to try and focus on the positives.
Loss and Bereavement
If a resident in a care home has recently lost a loved one, this can also lead to low self-esteem. It’s important to try and support them through this difficult time, and help them to focus on the positive memories they have of their loved ones.
How to Boost Self-Esteem in A Care Home
At Hilgay Care Home, we utilise many techniques to boost our residents’ self-esteem. We have highlighted 5 key methods in this blog, they are as follows:
- Doing something you enjoy
- Mindfulness
- Acknowledging and challenging negative behaviour
- Small, achievable goals
- Exercise & Stimulation
We will now discuss these in depth.
Doing Something You Enjoy
One of the simplest ways to boost self-esteem in a care home is by doing something you enjoy. This could be anything from reading, listening to music or watching television. Doing things that make you happy can help you to forget about any troubles you might be experiencing and give you a much-needed confidence boost.
Living in a care home provides residents with the opportunity to do what they enjoy. Whether it’s reading a book, chatting with friends and family, or sitting in the garden, at Hilgay, we are equipped with the facilities and expertise to support residents in enjoying their time with us.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a technique that can be used to focus on the present moment and appreciate the good things in life. This can help to boost self-esteem in a care home as it helps residents to focus on the positive things in their lives, rather than dwelling on negative thoughts and experiences.
One thing we love to do at Hilgay is take time to think. We encourage our residents to participate in this and promote mindfulness. This therefore enables us to identify issues that could be impacting our residents’ self-esteem, and find ways to overcome them.
Acknowledging and Challenging Negative Behaviour
If a resident in a care home is exhibiting negative behaviour, it’s important to acknowledge this and try to challenge it. This could involve talking to them about their behaviour and why it’s unacceptable, or suggesting alternative activities that they could do instead. Acknowledging and challenging negative behaviour can help residents to understand why their behaviour is harmful and give them the motivation to change it.
At Hilgay, we regularly monitor our residents’ mental health and behaviour. Our carers will recognise negative changes to residents and organise ways to address this with residents and families to overcome what might be troubling them. Furthermore, we organise regular mental health checks with healthcare professionals to ensure our residents’ mental health remains at its best.
Small, Achievable Goals
Setting small, achievable goals can be a great way to boost self-esteem in a care home. These goals could be anything from reading a certain number of pages in a book each day, taking a walk around the block or learning a new skill. Hence, having something to focus on and work towards can help residents feel more motivated and positive about themselves.
At Hilgay, our carers are trained in how to support residents in setting and achieving small goals. We support residents in achieving their goals, boosting self-esteem and making life in a care home far more enjoyable.
Exercise & Stimulation
Exercise and stimulation are important for both physical and mental health. They can help to boost self-esteem by improving residents’ physical health, as well as providing them with an opportunity to socialise and interact with others. Exercise can also help to reduce stress and anxiety, which can be two of the main causes of low self-esteem. This is because the body releases endorphins, which can benefit your mental health.
At Hilgay Care Home, we organise regular events and activities for our residents to enjoy. We believe that it’s important for them to stay active and engaged, both mentally and physically. This helps to promote a positive outlook and boosts self-esteem.
Contact Us
If you would like to find out more about Hilgay Care Home and our residential or respite services, then explore our website or contact us today at 01444 244756 or info@hilgaycarehome.co.uk. We would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have about living in a care home and welcome you to take a look around.
Article: Phoenix Marketing