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Aging

Controlling Confusion in Older Adults

by Kendall VanBlarcom
written by Kendall VanBlarcom

There are many who find themselves getting in family arguments about controlling confusion in older adults. This is because it is common for family members and their caregivers to notice changes in behavior, and cognitive abilities, over time. When these shifts happen unexpectedly, a family caregiver might view the behavior as irrational or paranoid. But, for the senior experiencing the confusion, it is very real.

A change in your loved one’s behavior could be due to an undiagnosed cognitive impairment. Sometimes these manifest themselves as fears and worries. Or there may be complaints and confusion. In more extreme cases, shifts can be signifiers of dementia.

Reach out to a personal counselor and talk through difficulties. You don’t have to go through this alone. Discuss issues with a professional and find ways to connect with other caregivers. Controlling confusion means a group of people are working toward a better situation, together.

Evaluate Cognitive Health

It is important to understand what is happening underneath shifts in behavior. There may be dementia issues that need to be addressed. Because, even though there are no known cures for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, it is helpful to get a diagnosis as soon as possible. With knowledge, you can discover paths to solutions, including caregiver resources, medications, and ways to minimize stress or environmental triggers.

Any problems or changes in behavior should be addressed with a healthcare provider to see if there are any medical issues to be resolved. But, also remember that if you are seeing a doctor who specializes on physical ailments, they may not be the best resource for mental health issues. If more answers are needed, consider setting an appointment with a specialist.

Focus on Emotional Connections

While you may not believe what an individual is saying, it helps if you can believe that they believe it. For instance, if someone is hallucinating trying to convince them that nothing is there will only create a frustrating and argumentative environment. Dementia can be incredibly detrimental to an individual, both physically and emotionally. Dismissing someone’s worries is not helpful.

Everyone wants to feel loved and safe. For that reason, if someone is experiencing confusion, sometimes the first priority is to give them reassurance. When controlling confusion, try stepping away from the situation causing stress and focus on positive experiences, such as listening to music or talking about a happy memory. Counseling can also help with keeping harmony.

Reach Out for Support

It is important to realize you are not alone. Sometimes another individual in a similar situation will have tips on how to deescalate emotions in stressful situations with an older adult experiencing confusion. If you don’t know other caregivers personally, online resources may be helpful.

If you are concerned about an older adult in your life or if you are a caregiver caring for a senior and have seen changes in behavior and personality, know there is help available. Changes in behavior can occur for a variety of reasons. It is important to seek help and find solutions for you and your family.

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Aging

Attitudes to Enhance Aging

by Carol Marak
written by Carol Marak

What is your mindset about growing older? Do you want to avoid thinking about it for as long as possible? Is it a negative passage to be endured? To set an ideal mid-life into motion, you need a positive outlook.

A study of 660 adults aged 50 and older in Ohio, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, found that people who had positive attitudes about aging lived more than seven years longer than those with negative attitudes.

While the results remain unproven by other researchers, the study does link positive outlook and good health. For example, depression is linked to poorer recovery from heart attacks and stroke. And having a positive outlook in general in your early 20s predicts survival well into your 80s and 90s.

Studies like these don’t have to convince many people that life is a heck of lot easier with a positive attitude. For me, over the years, the following mindset has helped me approach older age with gratitude.

  • Accept yourself – low self-esteem and confidence are common but beauty is not defined by physical traits but by qualities. The act of accepting oneself as they are seems hard but you can do it! Do not allow the flaws to govern your heart and future.
  • Surround yourself with positive people – hang out with people who feed your soul, the ones who you appreciate and look up to. Make sure they feel the same way about you. Positive types give us a sense of well-being.
  • Do the things and activities you love and make time for self-care. Find a hobby like cooking, gardening, painting or reading. This helps you feel connected and less stressed.
  • Express feelings – talk about your feelings with someone you like and trust. Never bottle them up. Communicating helps us process our emotions and to move on with a clearer and happier mind. If you prefer, keep a journal and write your feelings down.
  • Appreciate little things – if you give too much energy to the “big” problems you’ll stress and ignore the little things that make living so pleasurable. Make every experience a learning experience, even failures.

Questions to ask:

  • Who am I on this journey for?
    What will it take to love myself?
    What sacrifices am I taking for good health?

 

Live each day knowing there’s plenty to go around. Believe in and trust yourself. Focus on what you can do now and be your best self instead of correcting the past.

Take away:

Trust yourself – BE OPEN – Acknowledge fear and do it anyway!

Attend my free Live events on Facebook @Carebuzz. Every Tuesday, 3:00 PM CST, we discuss proactive living in mid-life. (https://www.facebook.com/Carebuzz/)

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Aging

Elderly Mental Health Statistics

by Kendall VanBlarcom
written by Kendall VanBlarcom

Like every population, there is a lot of variety among older adults. But it can be helpful to talk about elderly mental health statistics so we know when to take notice. Because while many have good mental health, others are vulnerable to mental health issues and cognitive deterioration.

A Growing Population

The world population is aging. It is estimated about 8.5 percent of people worldwide are aged 65 and over and this percentage is expected to rise to nearly 17 percent of the world’s population by 2050.

It is common for mental health issues to be ignored or misdiagnosed by healthcare providers, family members, and the individuals experiencing the issues themselves. Sometimes, because of the stigma around mental health issues, people are slow to reach out for help. It stands to reason that more older adults will bring more mental health issues. It’s important to reach out for help as soon and you need it.

Increased Risk of Issues

There can be an increased risk of mental health problems as we age. Some issues include chronic pain, a loss of loved ones, loneliness, isolation, and losses in day-to-day capabilities. There is also the very real problem of elder abuse. This is when a caregiver relationship is harmful, when physical, financial, or verbal mistreatment is present. All of these can result in anxiety and depression.

Another issue that can arise is dementia which manifests as a deterioration in cognitive abilities, from memory to behavior. This is not a normal part of aging and should be addressed. Dementia can cause much stress in a home. Families and caregivers are likely to crave additional support when they are facing the emotional, financial, and physical pressures of dementia.

How to Age Well

While elderly mental health statistics can be frightening, there are active ways to age healthfully. Creating environments that are supportive and nurturing can have lasting results. Paths to healthy aging include securing safe housing (whether that is making changes to a home to prevent accidents or looking into assisted living), providing social support to an elderly individual and being sure that both physical and mental health initiatives are in place so the person can remain as healthy as possible.

Monitoring mental and physical health means any issues can be detected early and managed. If possible, talk through any issues with a trusted professional and work to create an environment of community care. This is all essential because our bodies change as we age. All of these adjustments in our chemistry, mobility, and shifts in familial and friendship bonds have an impact on our health.

Sometimes there are problems causing big issues that can be addressed with support. For example, providing safe transportation to an elderly individual could change their life. A weekly shopping trip could improve their mood and help them to maintain community connections leading to lower stress levels and increased happiness. If transportation isn’t the issue, know that some report the same results when they pursue hobbies or schedule regular exercise. In both cases, you are exercising your mind and body, leading to good health.

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Caregiving

Handling the Emotional Side of Caregiving

by Kathy Macaraeg
written by Kathy Macaraeg

Most caregivers step up to the plate because they love their caree. Sometimes, the process of becoming a caregiver is slow as a parent begins the aging process and other times it happens quickly due to a fall or illness. One thing that many caregivers don’t anticipate is the many emotions they will experience as a caregiver.

While love enables us to do many hard things, sometimes, love isn’t enough – particularly if you are a caregiver for an extended period. While you love your caree, being a caregiver takes a lot out of you and putting your needs on the backburner for a long time doesn’t come without consequence.

It is important to acknowledge and accept that some of the feelings that come with caregiving can be negative. Many caregivers are embarrassed to express feelings of anger or frustration so they pretend they don’t exist or become angry with themselves for having those feelings.

Feelings of anger, sadness or frustration are just as acceptable as feelings of love and happiness. And while those feelings are common and nothing to be embarrassed about, it is important to find support and explore ways to work through those feelings. The longer you stew on your feelings, the worse they can become.

Handling Challenging Caregiver Emotions

If you are struggling with the emotional side of caregiving, there are things you can do for yourself to work through your emotions.

Free and Low Time Investment for Caregiver Emotional Support

If you are just starting out on your caregiving journey or are at the early stages of caregiver stress, investing a little bit of time in your emotional well-being now can save you from stress or depression later. Here are a few things you can do to support your emotional health.

  • Carve out time for yourself to practice self-care. Take time to care for your needs to reduce frustration and stress. Some self-care tactics you may want to consider include taking time for fitnessor maintaining a healthy diet.
  • Spend time with friends or loved ones other than your caree. If you’ve been so busy that you haven’t had time to see your friends, schedule some time with your friends or other family members. Make plans for a breakfast, lunch or dinner where you can spend some time replenishing your soul.
  • Focus on gratitude. Sometimes, when we’re going through a tough time, we forget to focus on the positives in our life. Start a gratitude journal to remind yourself of the things you have to be thankful for. Even on your worst day, you can be grateful that everyone woke up alive and has a roof over their head.
  • Join a support group. Being surrounded by others in the same boat can help you feel less isolated. It is also helpful to know that your feelings are common and nothing to be ashamed of. If you don’t have time to go to actual meetings (or you can’t find meetings near you), consider reaching out through social media. There are caregiver groups on Facebook and you can participate in Tweet chats with caregivers.
  • Learn a new skill, explore a new hobby or find something that brings you joy. Taking a little time to focus on something just for you can help make you feel like life is more “normal” again. It also helps you prepare for life after caregiving.

Serious Support for Caregiver Emotional Challenge

If you are experiencing significant emotional challenges, you may need to make a bigger time or financial investment. While you may feel that you don’t have time or money to “waste” on your emotional well-being, your emotional health is important. You should treat your emotional health as you treat your (or your caree’s) physical health. If you don’t address it now, you could be looking at more serious emotional challenges that can result in physical illness as well.

Long-term stress and depression can impact your physical health so they are not to be ignored. Sometimes, we need a bit more than a small pick me up to re-set our emotional well-being. If you’re in that boat, here are some things you can do to re-set.

  • Speak with your physician. If you are struggling with depression or anxiety resulting from caregiving, speak with your physician about your situation. He or she may suggest medication, talk therapy or a change to your diet or exercise routine.
  • Speak with therapist. Many times, the hardest part about getting help is admitting you need help, closely followed by actually starting the process. There is no shame in seeing a therapist to discuss your caregiving challenges. A therapist can help you find healthy coping methods so that you are better prepared for the challenges of your role. If you are a caregiver for a difficult person, it is even more important to seek help to adapt to your situation.
  • Hire help. Even if you have a tight budget, it may be necessary to your emotional well-being to outsource tasks or caregiving. Freeing up time can help you incorporate self-care into your routine, which can improve your overall well-being. You can also bring in a paid caregiver to assist with personal care or some activities of daily living that you don’t enjoy or your parent prefer you don’t perform. If you are on a limited budget, there may be resources available to your family.
  • Find a support group. I know I offer this as a solution above, but this is even more important if you are truly struggling. If you don’t know where to look for a support group, ask your loved one’s doctor, check your local hospital or medical center or do a Google search. If your loved one has a particular illness, reach out to their local association’s organization (think American Cancer Association, Diabetes Association, etc.) to find a local group.

 

Investing time in your emotional health is as important as investing in your (or your loved one’s) physical health. On average, caregivers spend between 5 – 10 years in their role. That’s a long time to put off caring for your needs.

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Aging

Signs of Anger Issues

by Kendall VanBlarcom
written by Kendall VanBlarcom

If you are experienced as a caregiver for older adults, it is possible you have seen signs of anger issues. For some, anger outburst happen because a senior citizen is feeling vulnerable, which can magnify emotions and reactions. In separate cases, anger occurs in response to other problems, whether that is illness, pain, or memory loss.

When you see signs of anger issues in an individual you are caring for—whether those indicators are physical abuse, verbal abuse or periods of paranoia—talk through your experiences with a professional to find relief.

Coping with Physical and Verbal Abuse

If you are caring for someone who has an illness that is causing diminished cognitive skills, sometimes the medical issue causes personality changes. It is important to not blame yourself for an illness you cannot control. Be sure to take the steps you need to take care of yourself.

One first step may be to get a clear diagnosis of what is happening with your loved one. With a complete evaluation, you and your loved one’s healthcare provider may be able to land on the root of their personality change. With this knowledge, you can take the next steps needed to secure a healthy home.

In addition to making health and checkups a priority for the one you are caring for, be sure to take care of your own physical and mental health as well. Stay healthy with a proper diet, exercise, sleep, and socializing. Talk through any problems you are having so any negative thoughts can be released and address it when you are experiencing anger from a loved one.

Paranoid Behavior

Among the signs of anger issues is when an individual you are caring for accuses you of intending to harm them. It is important you bring this up, and any other examples of paranoia or hallucinations, with a doctor. This behavior could be the result of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or another serious issue in need of attention. Possibly a shift in medications can help. Getting professional help is typically the right place to start as trying to convince someone that their thoughts are unreal may only increase their anger.

Everyone has good days and bad days, but no one should suffer abuse. If you see signs of anger issues in an older loved one or in a senior citizen you are caring for, reach out for help and support. It may take some time and persistence, but communication within families and among professionals can lead to solutions.

As a caregiver, you need to take care of yourself. After all, if you aren’t healthy you are not able to take care of anyone else. Deal with any negative aspects of your life. It is important to learn how to take care of the caregiver, too. Change is inevitable and it is impossible to turn back time, but there are ways to adapt to changes. Work toward a stress-free household. Utilize the support available to maintain a healthy environment, for yourself and your loved ones.

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