As your loved one ages, changes occur in his body. His usually strong arms are now struggling to lift groceries and he no longer moves in that smooth and agile way that he used to before. More often than not, these changes are the reasons why plenty of people hire one of the many home care agencies in Chicago or anywhere in America. Through home care, their loved ones can receive the assistance that they need at the comfort of their own homes.
Unfortunately, the changes cited above are just some of the alterations that you and your family have to watch out for. Some aging adults display bad behavior. This could happen to your loved one as well so it’s important that you are aware of this. Here are some of the bad behaviors that you should prepare yourself for.
RAGE OR ANGER
Aging brings forth plenty of changes in the body. You might notice that as your loved one gets older, his personality traits become more amplified. This means that if he was impatient before, now he is just plain demanding; or if he has always been short-tempered before, now he is enraged. You have to be prepared because there is a possibility that your loved one’s most prominent trait might be intensified as he grows older.
In some cases, it is aging itself that causes older people to lash out. In short, the root of the problem comes from the frustration and pains of growing older. As your loved one matures, he might not be able to do things that he used to do on his own like bathing, cooking, and driving. This loss of independence along with the appearance of illnesses is what might be causing your loved one to display an angry behavior.
DISREGARDING PERSONAL HYGIENE
You might notice that your aging father is no longer showering or taking care of his personal hygiene. This can be caused by several things and one of which is the decreased sense of smell. As your loved one grows older, his sense of smell might be reduced which means that he might not be aware when he starts to smell. Couple this with forgetfulness and his personal hygiene will surely be a problem.
In other cases, the disregard for hygiene is caused by a fear of slipping down. If your loved one is already finding it difficult to walk on even ground, then he is probably afraid of entering his bathroom. Most of the time, bathrooms are slippery, especially the tubs. Your father is probably worried about slipping and hurting himself or embarrassed to ask his caregiver for help so he refused to bathe instead.
PARANOIA AND HALLUCINATIONS
Hallucinations can sometimes be caused by the medications that an aging parent is taking at the moment. If this is the case with your loved one, consult his doctor immediately and inquire if the prescription can be altered.
At times, paranoia and hallucinations are caused by diseases such as Alzheimer’s or dementia. If this is what’s causing the problem, it’s probably better to just go with the flow. In these cases, it’s impossible to convince the aging adult that his hallucinations are not real because in his mind, it is all really happening. Instead of talking him out of these hallucinations, validation is a better route.
It is inevitable that your loved one will grow old and as he ages, he might start to act differently. Although you might be surprised with the sudden display of negative behavior, you have to remember to be understanding. It is important to show your support as your loved one undergoes a massive change in his life.
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