Scary health diagnoses can sometimes make other family members respond with denial. This can be especially true with a diagnosis like dementia. Other family members don’t want to believe that it’s happening and might look for ways to disbelief any proof.

Keep Your Cool

Sometimes family members respond to a senior family member’s dementia diagnosis in ways that you don’t expect. They might fight, argue, or say things that are really unpleasant for you to hear. It’s important that you do what you can keep calm and watch your responses. Responding with anger or frustration isn’t going to help very much.

Try to See What’s Behind the Denial

One way you can sometimes remember to keep your cool is to try to get what’s fueling the denial and the negative responses. This might be a situation that is causing great fear and anxiety for your family members. That can make them respond in ways that you wouldn’t and that you don’t fully understand. Reaching out to them can help.

Get Everybody Together

When other family members are playing that old game of “telephone,” facts get switched around. It’s not deliberate and it’s usually not malicious at all. What happens, though, is that not everyone is on the same page or has all the information. You can get around this by getting everybody together and educating them on what’s going on. You need to respect your senior’s privacy in the process, but you can do that and still be informative.

They’re Going to Have Feelings

It’s important for you to understand and to acknowledge that your other family members are going to have some feelings about this. They may be afraid, angry, frustrated, or sad. That’s all going to come out when they talk to you and possibly when they talk to your senior as well. They are the ones who have to process those feelings. You can help or point them in the right direction of help, but you can’t do that work for them.

This Is about Getting the Best Care Possible for Your Senior

Ultimately all of this is about getting the best care possible for your senior. When other family members aren’t giving in to denial about what’s going on with her dementia, your senior is going to be able to get the help she needs. You’ll also be able to focus more on your senior and less on helping family members to understand what’s happening.
Denial is a powerful force and it’s something that can really derail what you’re trying to do for your aging family member. Educate your family members and do what you can to support your senior, including hiring home care providers who have experience with helping dementia patients.

If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring Home Care in Seminole, FL, Please Contact The Caring Staff At Assisting Hands Home Care Today! 727-748-4211.