Retirement News : Seniors : Campbellford - Learned helplessness an issue in elder care

Campbellford - Learned helplessness an issue in elder care

Date Added: 18-04-2005

Why do some seniors appear to have more physical and emotional limitations than would be expected given their actual physical problems? Because sometimes, by the way we help the elderly, we can be “teaching” them to be less engaged in their daily life and less mobile. That was one issue examined at the Senior Years Family Education Day held in Campbellford on April 12, 2005.
In her motivating talk on the phenomenon called “learned helplessness,” health speaker Clara Fitzgerald described how family members and health care professionals can inadvertently encourage older people to be less independent than they might need to be.
“Even with the best intentions, when caring for someone and we do what they are able to do, they will do less for themselves,” said Ms. Fitzgerald. “Therefore they become less engaged in life and have fewer opportunities to maintain functional mobility.” She defined functional mobility as the physical ability needed to participate in daily living.
A psychological theory introduced by Martin Seligman in the mid-1960s, it has been used to help understand several human behaviours.
“Here, learned helplessness explains the pathological nature of decline in physical and psychological functioning in our older population beyond what is warranted by actual physical problems,” Ms. Fitzgerald told the group, “well beyond natural aging process.
“Once a person becomes disengaged, it is very difficult for people to remain purposeful, to do activities,” she continued. Ms. Fitzgerald underscored the importance of physical activity. “Over time, we lose one per cent of strength per year starting at age 27,” she said. She did a series of quick calculations and noted that by the time people are 60 to 70 years old, they can experience as much as 40 per cent strength loss.
“Therefore, it’s easy to see how moving from the sitting to standing position becomes difficult for the elderly,” she said. “It shows how a simple activity becomes a difficult activity with the loss of strength.” Physical activity helps prevent and slows loss of strength.
Learned helplessness not only results in decreased physical functioning. Other challenges like the lack of desire to try new things or to learn new ways to cope arise. Depression and low self-esteem can happen too.
Once elderly people do less for themselves, it becomes easier for care giver to do more and more for them, commented Ms. Fitzgerald.
Knowing how learned helplessness works can help caregivers, both formal and informal, care and provide services that don’t just “do” for them. In a health care setting, activities should be aimed at increasing their functional mobility and engage their minds and emotions, she says. In her work as a health and fitness consultant, Ms. Fitzgerald has visited several fitness programs across Canada. She says it is best not to just “fill time” for the elderly but seek to improve functional mobility.
This “engagement model of care” for the elderly will become increasingly important, said Ms. Fitzgerald. According to statistics, most people are now expected to live for more than 75 years. With the baby boomer generation aging, the 65 years and older group will double within the next 20 years. The fastest growing age group is 80 plus years.
Research shows that most people want to continue living in their own homes for as long as possible, she said. Functional mobility, mental and emotional well-being all play a role in seniors staying in their homes.
What can we do to prevent or address learned helplessness? Ms. Fitzgerald answered this question by reminding family members they can allow and encourage elders in their care to do for themselves, be as active and engaged as possible when they visit. She pointed out one of their challenges is time.
Time can also be an issue in health care facilities with many elderly. While facilities have improved over the past 20 years, Ms. Fitzgerald points out, an “environment of care” can cast the elderly in a “sick role.” She tells of cases where people who were ambulatory when they were introduced into a care facility, were in a wheel chair within three months. “Staff feel they are doing something safe and kind by doing everything for the person. The person is receiving a lot more care than at home, which families are often looking for, but this increases functional dependency.” She cautions health care professionals and the senior person’s family against confusing “caring” with “doing.” Muscles needed for bathing and other daily living activities need to be used, she said.
In her talk, Ms. Fitzgerald pointed out that genetics as well as environment and lifestyle contribute to an elderly person’s decline in activity. It’s not a variable people can do anything about, however. She also acknowledged that elderly people can tire easily and noted that “activity” can be small.
Involving elderly people in decision-making can also help reduce and prevent learned helplessness. “By making decisions, people have more control in their lives,” she said. “When others do for us, we are more detached. We know that the more apathetic, the more passive we become, we find it hard to live a meaningful, purposeful life.”
Ms. Fitzgerald encouraged everyone to be engaged and to stay involved in caring for themselves. She asked health care professionals to look at what they do and the programs they provide to see if they foster independence or rewarded dependence.
Hosts of the day were the Hastings, Northumberland and Prince Edward Branch of the VON, Campbellford and District Palliative Care and Community Care Trent Hills. Funding was provided by Campbellford Seymour Community Foundation and Community Care Trent Hills.

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