Caregiving: Could Your Body Language Be Making Your Loved One Anxious?

Dear Candid Caregiver (Carol): My parents were always open about their long-term plans for retirement, saying that they’d worked hard, and retirement was going to be the payoff. Travel was huge on the horizon. Now, my dad has been diagnosed with mixed dementia, which, in his case, means Alzheimer’s and possibly Lewy body dementia, so their dreams are pretty much canceled. Mom is, for the most part, a good caregiver, but she’s resentful about what happened, and why wouldn’t she be? She has a right to these feelings except that her resentment shows through to Dad through her body language as well the tone of her voice, and from my observation, this increases Dad’s anxiety. I don’t blame Mom because the whole thing is awful but doing anything that increases Dad’s anxiety is a bad idea for him as well as those around him. The more Mom’s resentment about their failed dreams shows, the more anxious and difficult Dad gets. The harder Dad is to care for, the more Mom’s body language... Continue reading on HealthCentral for tips on how we can watch our body language (most of the time): Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories. "For anyone having to walk the last segments of life with a loved one, read this.” …Delores   Shop Silverts Adaptable clothing:    Discover the Difference. EGOSAN - the Top-Rated incontinence brand from Italy. Now Available on Amazon.          &...
Source: Minding Our Elders - Category: Geriatrics Authors: Source Type: blogs