“Psychology: Aging parents require tactful assistance” plus 1 more |
| Psychology: Aging parents require tactful assistance Posted: 13 Feb 2011 02:27 AM PST Coping with the stress associated with changes experienced by aging parents can be difficult for younger family members. For children of aging parents, it is important to remember that, as in all stages of life, older adults are experiencing not only physical but also psychological adjustments. Senior citizens often grapple, for example, with changes in long-established routines that occur after retirement, changes in relationships because of health issues and changes in financial situations. Growing older often means that parents need to begin depending more on care from their grown children, and this need can cause senior citizens to experience feelings of frustration, sadness, guilt and helplessness. There are ways to open the door to healthy communication between older adults and their children. When talking with aging parents about finances, health, living arrangements and other changes, avoid controlling messages and condescending statements such as "You can't handle your money anymore, so we will have to take over your finances." Instead, empower the older adult to actively participate in decisions about his or her future. Try to plan ahead for conversations and avoid bringing up difficult and stressful topics during large family gatherings. Give aging parents the opportunity to express feelings and share emotions. Make sure that aging parents play a considerable role in the decision-making process. Talk to siblings and other family members about their concerns, and share them in a respectful and caring way with them. Keep in mind that aging parents have had a lifetime of making decisions on their own - and grown children need to be tactful when offering assistance. Hap LeCrone, a Cox News Service columnist, is a clinical psychologist. Write him at 4555 Lake Shore Dr., Waco, TX 76710; or send e-mail. hlecrone@aol.com This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| Psychology of color is helpful in choosing interior paint schemes Posted: 10 Feb 2011 08:30 AM PST Skillful interior decorating is largely an artistic endeavor, but there's some science involved as well, and none more important than the psychology of color. "Color psychology can help you choose paint colors that create the right mood in a room, affecting not just your own feelings, but those of everyone who enters the space," according to Debbie Zimmer, color expert at the Paint Quality Institute. "In fact, paint color is so powerful that it can influence not just our state of mind, but even our physiology," she says. Advertisement "The ancient Egyptians, Native Americans, and many other peoples used color to heal. In doing so, they often favored the blues and greens found in nature, colors that have an emotional association with peace, harmony, and tranquillity. In these trying economic times, paint colors in these same hues can help calm our nerves at home," says Zimmer. Blue, which often ranks at the top of surveys exploring "favorite" colors, has been shown to slow pulse rate and lower body temperature. The implications for interior painting: blue is a terrific color choice for bedrooms, but less so for dining rooms, according to Zimmer. Green, also among the most popular colors, is a little more versatile. While it, too, has a soothing effect, it also represents renewal, youth, and vigor. Says Zimmer: "Because it is calming, green paint is a good color choice for bedrooms, and since it's the color of many appetizing fruits and vegetables, it can work in dining rooms, too." There's no equivocation with red. It bespeaks energy and excitement, actually raising the blood pressure and making the heart beat faster. Because red is associated with desire and passion, it's a perfect paint color for dining rooms and adult bedrooms, says Zimmer, but wrong for children's rooms. Yet, ironically, pink — a very light tint of red — is one of the most calming colors, and is a fine choice for a baby's room, she says. Yellow is a great interior paint color. Like sunshine, it imparts happiness, hope, and optimism. Studies have shown that the brain actually releases more serotonin when the eye takes in yellow — creating positive psychological vibes. According to Zimmer, yellow can even stir our creative juices. What better color to use in a master bath or dinette to get your day off on the right foot? Orange is also a happy color. More attention-getting than yellow, orange has an energy and warmth about it. Muddy shades are useful in many parts of the home, but vivid tones may appear raw and flamboyant. Zimmer's advice: "Orange is clearly not the color of calm, so it's best to bypass it when painting a bedroom or any other area where you want to relax." Purple is a tricky paint color wherever it's used, but it is the overwhelming favorite of adolescent girls, according to Zimmer. She suggests that you reserve use of this color for your daughter's room to create a win-win situation: "Odds are, she'll love it, and you can take comfort in purple's proven ability to stimulate brain activity," she says. No discussion of paint color would be complete without mentioning the "non-colors", black (the absence of light, and thus, color) and white (the confluence of all the colors in the spectrum). According to Zimmer, black is a great accent color indoors or out, imparting elegance, formality, and sophistication to a paint color scheme. But don't get carried away with it, she cautions. Too much black can be depressing. White, on the other hand, conveys peace, simplicity, and spaciousness. It can provide a crisp finish to almost any paint job by adding sharp contrast to the wall color. Used throughout a room, it can give the illusion that the space is bigger than its physical dimensions. "Color psychology should play a role when selecting an interior paint scheme, but it's only one factor to consider," says Zimmer. "Personal color preference should be given at least as much weight. "No one will spend more time in your home than you will," says Zimmer, "so it's important to paint with those colors that are personal favorites. Choose colors that you love, and you won't go wrong." For more information on paint color and affordable remodeling with paint, visit www.paintquality.com. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Psychology - Yahoo! News Search Results To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment