Hi all, Brad here--
New to the forum but am wondering if anyone has dealt with anxiety in caring for their parent(s). In my case it's Alzheimer's related (9 years in), but I'm curious to see if others are experiencing the same thing and what their approach is.
Thanks in advance--
B
On the issue of a dementia parent who suffers from anxiety, I would say my father---who has ALWAYS been a worry wart---is the reigning King of Angst.
It's easy to become inpatient and weary of this--especially when the "cause" for all this OCD/anxiety changes from day to day. And by the time you think you have "soothed the savage beast" of fear-driven anxiety, they forget: (1) that you ever brought them comfort about that one particular obsession (so that they get anxious all over again) or (2) the obsession itself. By then they are on to a new angst.
Who can keep up? I surely can't. It is oh so very waring. Only God's grace keeps me from going completely mad!
A write things down. If I go out for a couple hours I write a note, each time, "Shopping, back at 6pm with dinner...limit snacking" He has little short term memory, likes to know where I am, so when he forgets, he looks at the note. Also I do this on a regular schedule. I leave him with cut up fruit, a SoBe coconut drink, a protein bar, and set the TV for America's Funniest Videos (makes him laugh) or a funny movie. So far so good, although the MD says soon he will not be able to be left alone.
Keep in mind what it would be to suddenly not know what, who or where you are multiple times a day. Or to realize that you have just spent who knows how long without a thought in your head (like waking for anesthesia).
I think that anxiety is fairly common in dementia. Sometimes a drug can help relieve it. Have you discussed this with your parent's doctor?
The Hyland's helps with insomnia also - no side effects so far! It's worth a try.
Our latest anxious episode concerned what he should do if he could not collect a specimen from a bowel movement in the middle of the night. He had dreamed up a trip to the Dr. who he thought had asked for this. The Similisan helped him believe that it was not necessary. Phew!!
Good luck!
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