How to handle an elder suffering from escalating panic attacks?

Sendme2help gave a good example of how to "talk yourself down" or work your panic down by your own thinking. There's a whole school of thought that's quite successful in helping people manage their anxiety through the way someone thinks about and looks at their feelings and thoughts about anxiety and depression, also. Dr. Abraham Low started it before there was medication for these 2 problems and was very successful with many patients. It shows how powerful our minds are. There are still groups in some locations where you can learn these techniques. Some counselors probably can help with this, too. It takes time and practice before it can work when a person is in an extreme state of panic. In lesser states of panic and depression it starts working sooner. It probably falls under a different name these days.