Mum becoming more anxious

Paddybelle1

New member
Mar 31, 2020
6
0
Hi everyone, has anyone got any advice for me regarding my mum who lives alone, doesn’t go out and has carers three times a day. I also do mums shopping, cleaning etc and see her once a week as I live 60 miles away. My mum has her tv and has the paper delivered everyday and since the Coronavirus has been all over the news etc her mood has changed. She is always happy normally but noticed she is very agitated and anxious in last few weeks. We have thought to cancel her papers but if we do that she may try to go out and get one (this has happened before when one wasn’t delivered and she got lost and confused and couldn’t find her way home). We have programmed her tv to default to channel 5 as it doesn’t show as much news but has anyone got any tips for her not to see what is going on re the virus? She has Alzheimer’s so although we can explain abt the virus she will obviously forget and then the whole story is new to her again.
 

Shedrech

Registered User
Dec 15, 2012
12,649
0
UK
hello @Paddybelle1
a warm welcome to DTP
a worry for ypu as you won't be able to visit your mum right now

might you change the default TV channel to one that has no news, I agree getting too much info can prey on the mind ... would she watch DVDs of her favourite films or programmes, you could buy for her and have sent through the post, a new one each day

would she accept a magazine instead of a newspaper, there is such a variety now, some that link in with hobbies or her local area, if not every day then a few days a week ... fib and say there aren't enough papers to go round

maybe let her GP know by email so they know that she is more anxious, just on case a tweak of her meds is needed
 

annielou

Registered User
Sep 27, 2019
1,917
0
Yorkshire
Not much of a suggestion but channels like Drama (freeview 20) has old tv series without news. Or HGTV ( 42) has house programmes on, neither have news programmes but those public information ads may stil pop up. There are also some movie channels on freeview without news too. I get worried about my mum with all news updates and programmes about the virus as she too forgets and gets upset about it when sees them. It is so hard to avoid at the moment unfortunately.
Hope you find some ways to reduce her anxiety x
 

Paddybelle1

New member
Mar 31, 2020
6
0
hello @Paddybelle1
a warm welcome to DTP
a worry for ypu as you won't be able to visit your mum right now

might you change the default TV channel to one that has no news, I agree getting too much info can prey on the mind ... would she watch DVDs of her favourite films or programmes, you could buy for her and have sent through the post, a new one each day

would she accept a magazine instead of a newspaper, there is such a variety now, some that link in with hobbies or her local area, if not every day then a few days a week ... fib and say there aren't enough papers to go round

maybe let her GP know by email so they know that she is more anxious, just on case a tweak of her meds is needed
Not much of a suggestion but channels like Drama (freeview 20) has old tv series without news. Or HGTV ( 42) has house programmes on, neither have news programmes but those public information ads may stil pop up. There are also some movie channels on freeview without news too. I get worried about my mum with all news updates and programmes about the virus as she too forgets and gets upset about it when sees them. It is so hard to avoid at the moment unfortunately.
Hope you find some ways to reduce her anxiety x
 

Paddybelle1

New member
Mar 31, 2020
6
0
Thank you, yes I think I will ask morning carer to switch tv on am and put on a channel that doesn’t show news, she does have magazines but loves her paper everyday and if we stop it frightened she will go out and try and buy one, which she has done in the past and got locked out etc etc so that is more of a risk, very hard at the moment, thx for yr reply
 

Paddybelle1

New member
Mar 31, 2020
6
0
hello @Paddybelle1
a warm welcome to DTP
a worry for ypu as you won't be able to visit your mum right now

might you change the default TV channel to one that has no news, I agree getting too much info can prey on the mind ... would she watch DVDs of her favourite films or programmes, you could buy for her and have sent through the post, a new one each day

would she accept a magazine instead of a newspaper, there is such a variety now, some that link in with hobbies or her local area, if not every day then a few days a week ... fib and say there aren't enough papers to go round

maybe let her GP know by email so they know that she is more anxious, just on case a tweak of her meds is needed
Thank you for the advice
 

imthedaughter

Registered User
Apr 3, 2019
944
0
Thank you, yes I think I will ask morning carer to switch tv on am and put on a channel that doesn’t show news, she does have magazines but loves her paper everyday and if we stop it frightened she will go out and try and buy one, which she has done in the past and got locked out etc etc so that is more of a risk, very hard at the moment, thx for yr reply
I think you're right. This stuff is affecting my Dad as well, he loves to keep up with current affairs and sees politics very much as a live soap opera. Now reading the papers is making him agitated and worried - he seems completely unconcerned about our health but is worried that we may be inconvenienced by the home's lockdown (hasn't quite understood that lockdown is everywhere!)

This might sound off the wall but could you find some old papers pre-corona and send them to her or a carer? Would she notice the date? I recall my dad kicking off about a paper being the wrong date - it was the right date of course.

Also @annielou just wanted to say I watched some live TV last night for the first time in weeks and it was terrifying to see how all the ads have been changed to be about coronavirus in some way. Must be really unsettling if you're not up to date with it.
 

Paddybelle1

New member
Mar 31, 2020
6
0
I think you're right. This stuff is affecting my Dad as well, he loves to keep up with current affairs and sees politics very much as a live soap opera. Now reading the papers is making him agitated and worried - he seems completely unconcerned about our health but is worried that we may be inconvenienced by the home's lockdown (hasn't quite understood that lockdown is everywhere!)

This might sound off the wall but could you find some old papers pre-corona and send them to her or a carer? Would she notice the date? I recall my dad kicking off about a paper being the wrong date - it was the right date of course.

Also @annielou just wanted to say I watched some live TV last night for the first time in weeks and it was terrifying to see how all the ads have been changed to be about coronavirus in some way. Must be really unsettling if you're not up to date with it.
Hi, I did think of getting some old papers, but not sure where? Might research on the internet thx, that might be the answer. she doesn’t know what the date or day is anymore so that’s not a problem. What is upsetting for my mum is she reads it anew everyday and although you explain it, which she accepts it’s all forgotten in minutes and every time something comes on about it, it’s all new again, same when she gets her paper everyday, so hard because I am not their to reassure her when she reads it again. I worry so much abt her anyway as she lives alone, you wouldn’t leave a child home alone all day, she can’t use the phone anymore either to phone us if she is worried, so difficult. Hope yr dad is ok.
 

imthedaughter

Registered User
Apr 3, 2019
944
0
Hi, I did think of getting some old papers, but not sure where? Might research on the internet thx, that might be the answer. she doesn’t know what the date or day is anymore so that’s not a problem. What is upsetting for my mum is she reads it anew everyday and although you explain it, which she accepts it’s all forgotten in minutes and every time something comes on about it, it’s all new again, same when she gets her paper everyday, so hard because I am not their to reassure her when she reads it again. I worry so much abt her anyway as she lives alone, you wouldn’t leave a child home alone all day, she can’t use the phone anymore either to phone us if she is worried, so difficult. Hope yr dad is ok.
I would ask on local Facebook groups to see if anyone saves papers or could dig some out. Local mums and parent groups are very resourceful.

My dad is fine but he's in residential care, so I am much less worried!