Let’s face it–as years go by, your elderly parents can start to get difficult. They may act childish and even have what we can call as elderly temper tantrums. They may yell and have overall bad behavior that can drive you up the wall. Aside from that, their behavior can also be frustrating, tiring, and embarrassing.
What you should understand, however, is that age and certain illnesses that they may have can intensify the personality traits that they already have. And this can be very unpleasant. For example, your elderly parent is known to be very irritable and demanding. As they age, their elderly temper tantrums can flare up due to this. They may be impossible to please and caregivers are easy targets for this sort of behavior.
How to deal with elderly temper tantrum
As a caregiver of your elderly parents, you can deal with this by understanding that this is due to their age and condition. You should also be intuitive enough to understand the cause of this so-called elderly temper tantrum. Understand also where the attitude or anger comes from.
Try to put yourself in their shoes. The aging process can be difficult to them and adjusting to their own changing needs can also be frustrating for them. They may have chronic pain, feel helpless, and not get enough rest. Over the years they may have also lost friends increasingly become very dependent on others. All these can make them feel uncomfortable and undignified.
One of the main culprits of elderly temper tantrum and overall elderly bad behavior may also be due to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. So it’s better to seek diagnosis from their physician if they may have this condition. If they do, you have to understand and remember that your elderly parents may not have full control of their actions and words. So don’t take this personally. Instead, make it your mission to be more thoughtful, considerate, and empathetic to their needs.
You can also deal with elderly temper tantrum fits by giving yourself a break. It can all be overwhelming, and at times the best thing you can do is to just take a breather, go outside, and recompose yourself.
Why you might benefit from adult daycare
You may notice that your elderly parents or loved ones may reserve their worst behavior when they are in the company of their closest and most trusted family members. So if this is the case, getting a professional caregiver or getting them into an adult daycare facility such as Big Hearts may be the answer. It can also give you that much-needed respite so you can also focus on your job, your health, and your own family.
To find out more about Big Hearts, call or text us at 09565012540.