Reasons for Paranoia in Aging Adults & Ways to Handle It

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Why Seniors Experience Paranoia & How to Address It in Tucson, AZ

Many seniors experience paranoia as they age. For instance, your aging loved one may experience paranoia if he or she has dementia, especially Alzheimer’s. When the functioning of the brain is compromised, your loved one may become paranoid about various things, such as finances or negative news. Here are a few of the reasons seniors experience paranoia and how caregivers can address it.

Dementia or Alzheimer’s

Paranoia is associated with both of these conditions. Dementia and Alzheimer’s alter brain function and cause seniors to become paranoid about a variety of things. Remembering things and staying in the present moment are difficult for seniors with dementia or Alzheimer’s, which can lead to delusions that result in paranoia. Try to stay positive, and if there’s a simple answer to his or her fears, share your thoughts, but don’t overwhelm your loved one with arguments or lengthy explanations. 

Caring for a senior with dementia can be challenging for family caregivers. Luckily, there is dementia care Tucson families can rely on. Professional dementia caregivers help seniors with dementia stay safe and comfortable at home by preventing wandering, providing cognitive stimulation, and assisting with household chores. 

Strokes

If your loved one has had a stroke, it may have injured the parts of the brain involved in perception, awareness of surroundings, and cognition. When any of these functions is damaged, it can lead to paranoia and hallucinations. To prevent these symptoms, make the environment as stable and comforting as possible. Regulate your loved one’s sleeping patterns, and discourage him or her from taking long naps during the day. Avoiding long naps helps seniors maintain standard sleeping patterns instead of waking up at night with paranoid delusions, which seniors who have had strokes can experience. 

Medications

Various types of treatment your loved one is undergoing could cause him or her to experience paranoia. Although the medications may treat a specific illness or injury, they could also alter your loved one’s consciousness, causing him or her to become delirious and paranoid. To prevent this side effect, consult your loved one’s doctor and ask him or her to evaluate the situation and prescribe a different medication or form of treatment. 

If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with a serious condition and needs help with tasks like meal prep, transportation, bathing, and grooming, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of homecare Tucson, AZ, families can trust. We also offer comprehensive care for seniors with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.

Brain Tumors

If your loved one has a brain tumor, he or she may begin to experience mood and personality changes that interrupt his or her daily activities. Regardless of how small or large the tumor is, it could cause an overproduction or underproduction of hormones, which can lead to paranoia. Your loved one will need to seek medical treatment for a brain tumor. However, as a caregiver, you can make things clear and simple and be as reassuring as possible.

Caring for senior loved ones can be challenging for families who don’t have expertise or professional training in home care, but this challenge doesn’t have to be faced alone. Family caregivers can turn to Home Care Assistance for the help they need. We provide high-quality live-in and respite care as well as comprehensive Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, and Parkinson’s care. Trust your loved one’s care to the professionals at Home Care Assistance. To create a customized home care plan for your loved one, call (520) 276-6555 today.

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