As your elderly loved one gets older, they may start forgetting things. Whether this is due to dementia or aging, it can be tough on everyone. You and elderly care providers might find that your elderly loved one is repeating themselves. They may repeat the same question time and time again. They may also repeat words or entire conversations. If this is happening, you may want to know how you should handle it. Keep reading here to find out some tips on handling repetition from your elderly loved one.

Not Purposely Annoying You

Are you getting annoyed because your elderly loved one is repeating themselves over and over again? If so, it is important to remember that they aren’t purposely annoying you. The cause of their repetition is likely due to some sort of memory loss. If you can’t remind yourself that your elderly loved one isn’t doing this on purpose, you might be a bit less irritated.

Respond to Their Emotions

Sometimes, the words that your elderly loved one is saying aren’t as important as what they are feeling. For instance, some elderly people will repeat themselves because they are nervous or because they don’t feel as if someone is listening to them. One example might be that your elderly loved one is repeating themselves saying that they don’t want to go to the doctor. Your elderly loved one might be saying this because they are scared of going to the appointment by themselves. If that is the case, you or an elderly care provider can tell your elderly loved one that you will go with them. This could stop them from repeating the same thing over and over.

Getting Extra Help

When your elderly loved one’s repetition starts getting to you more and more, it may be time to get extra help. Instead of getting overly frustrated with your elderly loved one, when their repetition isn’t their fault, it may be best to take a step back. This doesn’t mean that you can’t or shouldn’t visit with or care for your elderly loved one. However, if you are caring for your elderly loved one most days out of the week and they keep repeating themselves, you may want to just care for them 1 to 3 days out of the week. You can hire elderly care providers to care for your elderly loved one the other days during the week. This way, you aren’t feeling as overwhelmed with your elderly loved one because you know you will get a break soon.

Conclusion

Has your elderly loved one been repeating themselves over and over again? Maybe they tell you the same story time and time again. They might ask you the same question 10 times in a row. Your elderly loved one may repeat the same statement multiple times. If this is happening, it is important to follow the above-mentioned tips. These tips will help you to better handle the repetition with your elderly loved one.

If you or an aging loved-one is considering Elderly Care in Phoenix, AZ please contact the caring staff at MD Senior Living today. 480-267-9200

Sources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5768244/