Often times, seniors try to hide their anxiety towards old age. The process of aging comes with several uncontrollable changes. These changes haunt them for the better part of their day.
This is why it is necessary for the family members and caregivers to know and understand the seniors’ fears and worries. By understanding their concerns, the caretakers can help them come out of their fears and live a proper life filled with joy and pleasure.
Families should see to it that the elderly members of the family have appropriate resources to keep their independence intact. They should also be given tasks they can perform easily every day like cooking, gardening, bathing, or exercise.
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Top Fears
Here are the topmost fears experienced by almost every senior.
Memory Loss:
Fear of losing memory due to old age is the most common fear among seniors. The one thing they fear most about memory loss is forgetting their way home and getting lost. They also fear not being able to recognize their loved ones.
You can help your older loved one by engaging them in games to boost their memory. Other ways to boost their memory include exercising, reading, and watching. Basically, anything to keep their minds engaged.
The other great way to get your loved one out of this abyss is to make them more social. Social interaction makes them feel loved, needed, and as though they belong. And the presence of people around them is enough to get them out of this fear.
Loss of independence:
Freedom and independence are most valued by seniors more than people of other ages. Maybe because they are already experiencing loss of either in some ways. It is not easy having to fully depend on people even for intimate things like going to the bathroom. It robs them off their dignity as well and that is why some develop a rebellious attitude in old age. They are expressing their fear of losing their independence.
Safety and security fears:
The older people are easy prey for burglars and other petty criminals. Obviously, because they cannot resist their enemies. This makes the seniors worried about the safety of their home and their lives.
They also fear for their safety as they think their caregivers cannot fully protect them or take care of them. They fear that they would be left alone to suffer the miseries and cruelties of life and diseases.
Fear of getting hurt
Older people know that with the passing years, their bones become brittle. If they lose their balance at some point, the results would be dangerous because a simple fall is enough to harm their weary old bodies’ bones. The possibility of getting crippled or bedridden for the rest of their lives haunts them. This makes them fearful of every wet floor or taper pavement they tread on.
Declining health:
When seniors are healthy, mobile, and able to do their chores on their own, they remain happy. But still, at the back of their mind, they are haunted by the possibilities of losing their good health. Failing health is not the primary concern here. The real issue is that older people are worried about independence and freedom. They think that the decline in health would cost them their freedom and independence. And they would have to live a life of a “prisoner” ridden to the bed for the rest of his life.
Financial Difficulties:
The older people get, the lesser their chance of actively making money. They have to learn to live within a fixed income which can be limiting. This can be a very scary thought for any adult who has been accustomed to a certain lifestyle. No wonder losing financial ‘muscle’ is a fear every senior has.
Not being able to drive:
The privilege to drive yourself to wherever is dear to just about every person and having to give up your driving license due to age is a horrifying thought. They fear that they will lose their freedom, independence, and liberty to go and do as they please. They also fear the thought of begging others to drive them
Final Thoughts
These are not the only fears that seniors have. There are so many but these were the most common.
As a caregiver, it is important to understand what fears your loved one has so that you can reassure them and help them through the changes. Otherwise, they will feel alone, anxious, and depressed and would not be able to live a life of joy and happiness.
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