How your elderly family member responds to losing her ability to see well has a big impact on the rest of her well-being. If she’s still going through the stages of grief, she may not be excited about your attempts to help her.
She Might Deny it at First
When your elderly family member’s vision starts to change, she might try to deny it. That’s a normal reaction, really, especially if the vision loss is minor enough that she can work around it. But as she loses more of her vision, the denial can keep her from getting the assistance that she needs the most.
She Could Be Angry
It’s not unusual at all for someone who is losing their vision to be extremely angry about that loss. Your senior might vent her anger at things that have nothing to do with her vision loss, though. You or other people who are close to her might bear the brunt of that anger, no matter how unjustified that is.
She May Feel Depressed
As your senior’s vision worsens, she experiences it as a true loss. That can lead to depression. That pervasive sadness that she experiences, at not being able to see the same way that she used to is difficult to manage, especially on her own. Your senior might benefit from talking to someone, like a counselor or therapist.
She May Isolate Herself
It’s also possible that your elderly family member isolates herself because of her vision loss. Because she can’t do a lot of the same activities that she used to, she might feel as if she can’t do anything or be around anyone. Support groups made up of other people who are going through the same thing can be helpful for your elderly family member.
Eventually, She May Come to Accept Her Vision Loss
Acceptance is a difficult space to reach for some aging adults who have vision loss. It’s tough to accept that you won’t be able to see the world the same way that you once did. But once your elderly family member gets to the stage of acceptance, she can learn about new tools and techniques that can help her to cope with everyday life.
As your elderly family member experiences different degrees of vision loss, she might go through some of these stages again. Helping her to deal with these stages takes patience. Home care providers can help both of you to deal with the practical aspects of managing her vision loss.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Senior Care Services in Los Mateo, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-4855
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