Key Takeaways
- Aging often comes with life changes, such as loss or health issues.
- Grief is one of the strongest emotions felt during life’s transitions.
- To embrace change, be sure to celebrate wins and prioritize self-care.
- Talkspace offers online therapy to help seniors cope with change.
How Talkspace Helps Seniors Cope with Change
Talkspace offers therapy online, making emotional support more accessible and comfortable for seniors right from home. After completing a short questionnaire, seniors are matched with a therapist who aligns with their needs. Talkspace’s diverse network includes 6,000 licensed therapists, each with a master’s degree or Ph.D., and an average of seven years of experience.
Tricia Sussman, who leads community outreach for Talkspace, notes that seniors can often begin therapy within a week—an important benefit when support is needed quickly. If the first therapist isn’t the right match, Talkspace makes it easy to switch. Sussman also highlighted that Talkspace is in network with Medicare, which helps keep therapy affordable.
“Talkspace has been collaborating with Sunrise on ways that we can provide residents resources that can help provide guidance through changes, moves, or transitions, [and] provide care and compassion as folks move through loss and grief,” Sussman said. “Therapy really can benefit anyone at any stage of life.”
How to Understand Grief When Coping with Major Life Changes
Grief is one of the most common reasons seniors seek therapy. While grief is often tied to the passing of a loved one, it can also stem from other life changes, such as the loss of a pet, a shift in independence after leaving the workforce, changes in health, or evolving relationships.
Grief has many stages, shows up different in everyone, and isn’t the same as depression. Recognizing these feelings is an important first step in coping with change and adjusting to retirement—which is when transitions often occur.
Symptoms of Grief
Common symptoms of grief include:
- Sadness
- Crying
- Fear
- Anxiety
- Guilt
- Anger
- Apathy
- Loneliness
- Thoughts about the loss
Grief can also appear physically through symptoms like:
- Fatigue
- Low energy
- Changes in appetite
- Changes in sleep
The Six Stages of Grief
Laura Magnussen, VP of Clinical Engagement at Talkspace, explained that seniors may feel these symptoms in waves throughout the six stages of grief, which include:
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
- Acceptance
- Finding meaning
How Grief Differs from Depression
Grief and depression share many symptoms, and Magnusson notes that many grieving seniors eventually become depressed.
“42% of bereaved individuals develop clinical depression in the first month of their loss, with 16% continuing to have depression one year later,” Magnusson said.
While grief lessens over time, depression doesn’t. “Depression is something that is persistent regardless of the circumstance. There might be feelings of guilt that aren’t even related to grief. There can be a preoccupation with self-worthlessness, as well as thoughts of suicide,” Magnusson said.
Why Celebrating Small Moments Helps You Embrace Change
Celebration may not be the first thing to come to mind when grieving, but it plays a key role for seniors working through grief and depression.
“We all experience grief, but we also all experience periods that we can celebrate,” Magnusson said. “Celebrating small steps can really help rewire our brain.”
Magnusson encourages seniors to embrace change by balancing grief with reflection and gratitude with these questions:
- What are you grieving in this stage of life? How can you create time and space for your grief?
- What are you celebrating in this stage of life?
- How can you celebrate big and small wins for yourself and others?
How to Deal with Loneliness During Changes
Loneliness is universal, but prolonged isolation has health consequences. That’s why regular social interaction plays such a crucial role in healthy aging, making it essential for seniors to maintain strong social connections.
“Loneliness really has an impact on our physical health. It can be linked to health risks, heart disease, depression, stroke, high blood pressure, and dementia,” Magnusson said.
She suggests seniors pause and examine their thoughts to find what’s triggering their loneliness.
“One thing that we can do if we’re feeling lonely is practicing vulnerability by putting ourselves out there,” Magnusson said.
She said small acts of vulnerability like asking someone to meet for coffee and letting them know how they’re feeling can help open doors to connection. Self-care habits can also help reduce feelings of isolation.
How to Find Purpose During Life Transitions and Changes
Coping with change may make finding meaning in old age and living with purpose more difficult for seniors as they set out to redefine themselves. But finding meaning—whether through connection, creativity, or contributions—can significantly improve emotional well-being.
Magnusson encourages seniors to think about what’s meaningful to them. Some ways to find meaning in old age include:
- Feeling accomplished
- Reaching goals or milestones
- Leaving a legacy
- Helping others
- Engaging in activities that make you feel alive
- Connecting with others and maintaining relationships
Determining what brings purpose can be challenging. Magnusson broke these barriers into internal and external hurdles.
Internal Challenges
As seniors think about what they value, they may be hindered by:
- Uncertainty about their personal abilities
- Thoughts that what they’re capable of isn’t “enough”
- Not knowing what sparks their passion
- Feeling unsure of what they’re good at
External Challenges
Sometimes, external challenges like the following can also get in the way of discovering what matters:
- Unrealistic standards or expectations from others
- Another person’s role or identity
- Values that conflict with external pressure
- Limited access to resources
Ways to Cultivate Meaning and Purpose
Magnusson recommends trying several activities to see what resonates. Here are some ideas to cultivate meaning:
- Reconnect with a friend
- Volunteer or contribute to causes aligned with your values
- Give yourself permission to identify what’s important to you
- Try a new hobby or revisit an old one
How to Embrace Change with Self-Care
Developing a regular self-care plan can be especially grounding when coping with change.
“We can’t pour from an empty cup,” Magnusson said. “We are better in all of our roles when we take the time to care for ourselves.”
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to self-care. Magnusson encourages seniors to answer these questions to determine what fills their cup:
- How do you know when you need to recharge? What do you notice in yourself?
- How do you motivate or energize yourself in the morning?
- How do you calm your body in the evening or soothe yourself when overwhelmed?
- How can you kindly and compassionately meet your needs and support yourself?
Resources for Coping with Change
Through our partnership with Talkspace, residents can find informational flyers and pamphlets in many of our Sunrise communities. Talkspace’s blog also offers education on many different mental health topics.
Seniors can also call 988 for immediate emotional support or access to community mental health resources.
As part of Talkspace’s commitment to senior well-being and mental health, Sunrise residents can use code SUNRISE100 for $100 off their first month of therapy.
Alongside these resources, having a supportive community can make it easier to cope with change. If you or a loved one is navigating a transition, you can find a Sunrise Senior Living community near you to learn more about how our team can help.