5 Tips on How to Deal with Denial in the Elderly

In this article, we will discuss how to deal with denial in the elderly. Anyone involved with caring for the seniors knows that the task can be daunting. It can become more complicated when seniors are in denial of their actions or what they are being told.

There comes a point in all of our lives that we realize we are getting older and our bodies are slowing down. This can be tough to accept, and many seniors don't want to accept that eventually, they re going to need the assistance of others in their daily lives. There's nothing wrong with denial, but it shouldn't become a permanent issue. 

When it does, family members and friends need to find a way to help them accept reality.

Aging can change who we are and how we feel. Denial is common, because we have always faced many adversities in our lives, but have always been resilient and fought back. When we experience these life altering changes, we do not want to accept them at first. It only takes a debilitating illness or a life-threatening fall to completely change our lives.

As a caregiver, you need to understand that it is part of your responsibility on how to help them deal with denial. It's not only going to be depressing for them, but it can also put a strain on your life, too. It might require that you get them to gradually accept their situation, and this could require that you compromise and agree with them occasionally.

5 Tips on How to Deal with Denial in the Elderly

• Health Issues - Are they currently experiencing any other major health problems that they are worried about? It's possible that some of the elderly can have their minds on too many other health issues to be worried about denial. The best way on how to deal with denial for these situations is to have them see their doctor to make sure there are not other underlying health issues.

• Possible Dementia - They could be experiencing early symptoms of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, or other another degenerative mental illness. Discuss these episodes of denial with their physician, so they might be able to better monitor and diagnose them on their future visits.

• They Might Be Stubborn - They might be in total control of their mental surroundings. However, they might have the type of personality that they just want to be right about everything. Then again, double check to make sure that you are right and that it is just not a misconception on your part.

• Try Not to Be Bossy - One of the last things you want to do is try to be as bossy as a senior. Remember, there are many reasons why they could be acting the way they are, and until you get to the bottom of that reasoning, it's best to stay level headed. After all, your loved one is probably being told what to do most of the day if they cannot fully take care of themselves. If they are in a nursing home or assisted living facility, there are more rules and regulations that they need to follow, and it might be too much for them to handle.

• Agreeing on Their Timetable - Your loved one might need a little more time to come around to the idea that they are in denial. They might realize something is wrong, but it could be a problem of them losing more control over their life. It might be better for you to give them time to admit to it.

How to Deal with Denial in the Elderly - Conclusion

There is no simple answer on how to deal with denial in the elderly. A lot depends on how each senior feels, and how good their caretaker is at convincing them. Make sure that your loved one is seeing a doctor regularly to make sure they are in good mental and physical health, too.

Helping and Caring for Elderly Adults in 2020

More Americans today are facing elderly health care choices. Each year, we live a little bit longer, and that means that eventually we will probably search for elderly services to be provided for our family members, or we need to find a way of taking care of them at home.

Senior healthcare becomes more complicated if you are already raising children of your own. You will have to find ways to juggle your time, affection, and usually your wallet between children and an elderly adult.

This article will discuss senior healthcare, and talk about caring for the elderly.

What Kind of Care Do They Need?

Elderly health care requires that you establish what seniors need from the beginning. Here are some questions that need to be answered:


• How much can you do, and how will it affect the life of you and your family?

• Can you take care of this person in your home with the help of family members, or will you need the assistance of a health professional?

• Would an assisted living facility be appropriate? Have you discussed this form of elderly health care?

• The answer to these questions won't be the same for every family, but they are questions that will require action.

Caring for Elderly Adults

There's no doubt that caring for elderly adults requires extra attention to detail and patience. This type of care is so specialized, that there are highly trained nursing jobs called gerontology.

Caring for elderly adults is especially complicated due to the fact that many of them have health issues that the majority of younger people don’t have.

One specific responsibility of caring for elderly adults is keeping track of, and dispensing their medication. This usually starts out as giving simple reminders, and ends up as a full time responsibility once an elderly adult can no longer take care of himself or herself. Some of the medication is very time sensitive and if you miss a dosage, it could have dire effects on the patient’s health.

Another complicated task when caring for elderly adults is to help them use the toilet. Many seniors have difficulty properly cleaning themselves, and this increases the opportunity for infections. If the facility you are in doesn't have a toilet set bidet, (a space for cleaning their genital and anal areas), see if you cannot get one installed. This can help caring for elderly adults much easier, and even allow them the dignity to clean themselves without much assistance.

Elderly Nutrition

As we get older, our health becomes more important. Elderly nutrition can be difficult to maintain without someone there to help an elderly adult stick to basic health principles. It becomes more complicated to eat and absorb enough nutrition from our foods at an older age.

The fact is that there probably isn't an exact answer for how each person should make sure that an elderly adult gets enough nutrition. A lot will depend on how they kept their diet before. If they were disciplined about it, it will be easier for you to implement a plan. However, if they never cared that much about their health before, it's going to be tough to get them to eat properly now.

Seniors burn fewer calories when they are older, so it's not necessary for them to consume as many calories as when they were younger. The average elderly man needs about 2000 calories a day, and an elderly woman needs about 1600 calories. The trick is to keep them on a diet that sticks to those standards.

Elderly Services

Senior Healthcare - Seniors in the United States are lucky to have high quality senior healthcare. Many positions are well paid, and people working in elderly health fields tend to really enjoy their jobs. Many senior healthcare workers are happy to see the smile on elderly patients faces each day. Although the job is challenging, it can be very rewarding, as well.

Elderly Abuse

Even though you can find excellent elderly health services in the United States, there are also some cases of elderly abuse. Some seniors face emotional and physical abuse in nursing homes, senior healthcare centers, and even at home with relatives.

In addition, some elderly adults are taken advantage of financially, and even sexually abused. It’s important for those, who care about the elderly to look for signs of abuse. Elderly abuse can be avoided if family members take more time to check up on elderly relatives. Most abuse is due to neglect, and from not asking enough questions about their health and well being.

Elderly Health - Conclusion

This was a list of some of the components that make up elderly health. As mentioned, caring for elderly adults is time consuming and requires a lot of patience and care.

You should create a senior healthcare plan in advance. Find out what elderly services are available in your area, and ask other family members what they can do to help out, too.