Find Senior Care (City or Zip)
Join Now Log In
O
Onlychild3 Asked September 2022

Does anyone have advice on how to support a parent who is suffering from fear, anxiety and depression?

Mom is suffering from heart failure and in a residential care facility being very carefully cared for, and has oxygen. Her physical situation is stable and she is comfortable. She has been known as a positive, assertive individual throughout her life, and says that she has never suffered from depression. Now, she says she can't be alone, and can't deal with her situation and is fearful. She will begin taking lorazepam soon. Her sister in law has just been with her throughout this afternoon, I was with her all day on the previous day, and she has just asked me when I'll be returning and that she misses me so much. She also has good friends and extended family. I live three hours away and am working full time. She keeps apologising that she is placing pressure on me. I don't know how best to support her, and am constantly fighting the dreaded guilt whenever I try to set boundaries. I'd love to hear what you think.

InlandMeg Sep 2022
Yes I have a mom who is at high levels of anxiety and depression. She always said she wasn’t, but has just been diagnosed (thank God!) and has been less than a week taking a low dose of Prozac. Already we are seeing some small lessening of her anxiety. I pressed for several months to get her diagnosed. She was calling 911 all the time and saying she couldn’t be alone and very afraid- like your mom.

You should call her doctor and ask for an appointment for a psych diagnosis.

BarbBrooklyn Sep 2022
OC, my mom was that way, too. Guarded. And when meds were PRN, as needed, it wasn't a good plan.
One of the geriatric psychiatrists explained to me that it was important for mom to be on a regularly scheduled bery low dose of anti-anxiety anxiety meds. For one thing, it eased her fear that she was becoming addicted.

Lafter, a different geriatric psychiatrist added a low dose of an antidepressant..

Geriatric psychiatrists are mostly pretty good at getting to the reality of how patients are feeling. Good luck.

ADVERTISEMENT


BarbBrooklyn Sep 2022
Is she being seen by a geriatric psychiatrist?


Why is there a delay in starting the anti anxiety meds?
Onlychild3 Sep 2022
Thank you for your response, she hasn't been referred to psychiatrist, I will raise this, thank you.
Palliative care nurse identified need for meds and needed to talk to MD, it will be given on a when needed basis first of all. But think that mom is only being open about her feelings to myself and her SIL, and not to care workers.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ask a Question

Subscribe to
Our Newsletter