Your Elderly Mom is Getting Scared at Night in Assisted Living: What Can You Do?
Senior Living in Alamo Heights TX: Your Elderly Mom is Getting Scared at Night in Assisted Living: What Can You Do?
The calls started almost right away. It may have taken you and the family some time to convince your elderly mother to look into assisted living, and when she agreed, you were relieved. You helped her choose the right one; you went on a few tours, looked up the amenities offered, checked out the activities some of the residents get to enjoy on a regular basis, and so on.
You were confident this was the right place for her.
It seemed as though she was a bit excited, too. After all, she had been spending most of her days at home alone, waiting for the phone to ring, missing friends, and not really doing much at all. You saw this as a wonderful opportunity for her to maximize her quality of life.
Now, though, she keeps calling, telling you she’s scared at night, and though you reassure her each time that everything is fine, that she’s safe, and there’s nothing to worry about, you just don’t know what to do.
There could be a number of reasons for these calls.
Your mother may or may not be honestly and genuinely frightened. She is in a new environment. Even though she’s surrounded by other elderly men and women, her peers, throughout the day and maybe during the evening when she goes back to her room and close the door, she is alone. It can be unsettling for many people, especially if they were living in the same house or apartment for many years, possibly even decades.
The best thing you can do initially is to listen.
Avoid the temptation to discount her concerns or fears. They may seem irrational or made up, even, to get attention, but they may be genuine. Simply listen to what she has to say. Find out if there is any underlying specific reason for these anxieties.
The next thing is to speak to an administrator at the facility.
The staff at quality assisted living facilities will have a great deal of experience working with elderly men and women. They have probably experienced these concerns numerous times and have wonderful strategies that could be incredibly effective at helping calm their residents down.
If your mother is asking to leave, give up this idea, that is certainly up to her, but in most cases these initial fears come down to homesickness, a sense of shyness, and a difficulty getting out to meet new people. Once these issues are addressed and she has some more time to spend at this new living environment, things will be much better.
For more information about senior living in Alamo Heights, TX, contact Pipestone Place Assisted Living or to take a tour, call today (210) 718-0211.
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