I rely on two flower essences for comfort in the elderly. One is Cherry Plum and the other is Sweet Chestnut. The former is for "fear of the mind being over strained" while the other is for the "person who is anguished and stretched beyond endurance." In the field of homeopathy I prefer Ignatia for depression from a loss. I have seen many older individuals who have lost their spouse and more upsetting is the loss of a child. I know some homeopathic remedies and utilize them as often as I can.
The amount of herbs I use for depression and anxiety vary from individual to individual. I love the nervines in this regard. I use lemon balm (Melissa officiales) borage, limeflower, rosemary and vervain.
Ginseng is an herb I use for depression. It is useful for memory and confusion as well. I am careful not to use too much ginseng in the elderly as I have seen my reverse reactions.
Two remedies I learned from an elderly herbalist include using sage and cloves for lifting the mood. Both can be used as teas or can be added to food. As far as sage, I like the taste. When it comes to drinking clove tea, I usually add some chamomile, wild flower honey and even peppermint to help the taste. I am not fond of plain clove tea.
A gift for an elderly friend: A FRAGRANT POMANDER
1. Push cloves into an Orange or grapefruit
2. Attach a piece of ribbon and hang up for them when you visit.
3. It will freshen anyone's home and senses.
Until tomorrow…