“I’m telling you, there’s a dog inside my closet! I hear it growling the whole night long. We have got to find its owner!”
Dealing with anxiety in the elderly, especially a senior family member who is expressing anxieties like this that you know aren’t true, is distressing – however, not unheard of. Your first reaction could be to try to rationalize with the person with a response such as, “Nonsense! There’s not a chance a dog might have gotten into the closet!” Nonetheless, for a variety of reasons, this is often the least successful approach to take care of unreasonable ideas and anxiety in the elderly.
Instead, at Independence-4-Seniors Home Care, we highly recommend the following tactics which will help restore a feeling of calm and well-being:
First and foremost, arrange an appointment with the senior’s physician. It’s essential to identify any cognitive impairment and also to be certain he or she receives appropriate treatment if required. There also could possibly be medication complications developing.
Seek out the thinking behind the irrationality, and then determine how to address the matter. For example, the heating and cooling vent near the closet may have become loose, or an air vent is blowing onto a row of hangers and producing an unusual sound.
In place of attempting to correct the person, react lovingly with assurance and empathy. Focus on accepting the thoughts and feelings being expressed, and on letting the person know that you’re going to be there to help. Accompanying your senior loved one into another area and providing pleasant diversions, such as listening to music, baking, gardening, or browsing through photos together, can help you restore calm.
One of the most helpful ways to conquer any challenge is by finding out what has helped others in a similar situation. Consider joining an in-person or online community of family caregivers, allowing for the exchange of useful recommendations and resources. A number of choices are readily available, such as AgingCare.com’s caregiver forum.
Look for the help of an experienced in-home care provider, such as Independence-4-Seniors Home Care. Our caregivers are skilled at helping older adults remain active and engaged, as well as in helping to ease challenging and difficult behaviors. Working with a reliable caregiver also provides you with necessary respite to take a break from caregiving duties while confident your senior loved one is getting top quality care.
To get more recommendations on assisting your parent through challenges with growing older, dementia or chronic illness, reach out to the senior care experts at Independence-4-Seniors Home Care. We’re always readily available to answer any questions, share resources specific to the challenges you are encountering, and to provide a no cost in-home consultation and development of a customized care plan to improve total well-being for a senior loved one. Call us any time at (630) 323-4665 or contact us online.