Grief, summer seasonal affective disorder, and anxiety in older people
May 28, 2024
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On this podcast, Claudia Hammond discusses how gardening helps cope with grief and features a unique garden space for conversations on loss. The episode delves into the role of objects in memory and coping mechanisms. They also explore summer seasonal affective disorder and anxiety in older individuals post-pandemic, shedding light on societal stereotypes impacting mental health.
Grieving individuals find solace in symbolic objects, fostering conversations and connections.
Older adults experiencing sustained anxiety post-pandemic face societal stereotypes and health-related fears.
Deep dives
Easing Grief Through Nature: Designing Gardens for Healing
Award-winning designer Katherine Holland collaborated with Sue Ryder to create a grief-themed garden at the Chelsea Flower Show. Inspired by her own mother's death, she aimed to provide a space for conversations about grief. The garden, filled with symbolic plants related to Bedfordshire's lace history, offered visitors a safe, comforting environment to share and connect.
Memory Objects in Grief: The Comfort of Keepsakes
Objects associated with loved ones, like perfume bottles and jewelry, hold significant emotional value for individuals coping with loss. Research shows that these objects serve as memory triggers and can facilitate conversations about the deceased. Similarly, mundane items, like stones or handkerchiefs, hold immense sentimental importance, providing comfort and a tangible connection to cherished memories.
Anxiety in Older Adults: Post-Pandemic Concerns
While anxiety typically decreases with age, older adults have shown sustained anxiety levels post-pandemic. Factors such as health concerns, disruptions in healthcare access, pain, and fears of mental decline contribute to heightened anxiety. Age-related stereotypes and societal perceptions can further exacerbate anxiety in older individuals, impacting their daily activities and social engagement.
Addressing Everyday Anxieties in Older Age
Everyday anxieties in aging populations encompass health issues, financial worries, technological challenges, and fears of cognitive decline. External factors like media portrayals and societal attitudes can influence anxiety levels in older adults. Encouraging positive perceptions of aging and seeking professional support when necessary are crucial for managing anxiety in older age.
In this episode, Claudia Hammond goes to the Chelsea Flower Show to speak to garden designer Katherine Holland. She credits gardening with helping to ease her grief following the death of her mother. Her Grief Kind garden features a meeting space with three chairs set around a coffee table, to encourage conversations about grief and will include a rotating display of personal objects symbolising loved ones who have died. Professor Catherine Loveday, a psychologist and neuroscientist from the University of Westminster, joins Claudia in the studio to discuss how objects can help us form links in our brains and remember our loved ones.
Many of us breathe a sigh of relief when the weather warms up and the sun pops out, but one listener actually finds their mood worsens during the summer. Catherine and Claudia discuss the little-known condition of summer seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Finally, we hear from Professor Andrew Steptoe, a psychologist and epidemiologist from University College London. He heads up the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, which has been running for 20 years. He has found that older people's anxiety levels have remained high following the pandemic. Claudia and Catherine unpick a few of the issues and stereotypes that some people may face.
Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell
Studio Manager: Neva Missirian
Production Coordinator: Siobhan Maguire
Editor: Holly Squire
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