Anxiety in Older Adults

Homecare in Stuart FL

As your loved one ages, there are a lot of different health problems that she's likely to face. One that might surprise you is the potential for anxiety attacks. Your loved one might be worried about her health or other issues or there may not be a discernible cause for the anxiety. Regardless, it's important to get to the root issue so that you can help her to avoid future anxiety attacks.
Symptoms of Anxiety It's one thing to recognize your own anxiety, but it isn't always easy to spot it when someone else is dealing with the problem. Often there are outward symptoms of anxiety, though, so it helps to learn to recognize those signs so that you can help your elderly loved one when she's going through an anxiety attack. Some of the signs to look for include:

• Pain, especially in the chest or shoulders
• Headaches
• Faster heartbeats
• Trouble breathing

Anxiety in People with Dementia Spotting anxiety becomes even tougher if your loved one has dementia. She may not be able to tell you that she's having trouble breathing, or she may have a health condition that already makes it difficult for her to breathe. You have to look for more subtle signs or you have to rely on her to answer your questions. Your loved one with dementia might have difficulty moving during an anxiety attack or she might start to isolate even more. Talk with your loved one's home care providers about signs they may have seen from your loved one, because they're trained to look for these types of symptoms.
Identifying Anxiety Triggers If your loved one is able to talk with you about her anxiety issues, then it's important to try to narrow down the possible triggers for the attacks. Ask her if she can verbalize what it is that makes her anxious. In some cases, it might be a hypothetical situation that she thinks about, but in other cases, she may not know what caused the anxiety. Try asking where she was or what she was doing when the anxious feelings flooded in, since that can sometimes provide a clue that helps you get to the bottom of the situation. Let your loved one's doctor know that she's having issues with anxiety. The anxiety could be a side effect of medication or there may be another health issue at play. Source http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/20060522/anxiety-missed-elderly
If you or an aging loved one are considering homecare in Stuart, FL, contact the caring staff at BrightStar Care of Jupiter. Call today (561) 741-1200.