Senior Care News

Distracting Your Loved One During a Storm

Learn how to help your loved one with Alzheimer's manage anxiety during summer storms with practical tips from Alzheimer’s home care providers.

With the gorgeous warm days of summer comes another weather occurrence that your loved one with Alzheimer’s may not enjoy so much – strong storms. Strong storms are not only dangerous to be in, but they can also be quite noisy, with strong winds, booming thunder, and sometimes even pounding hail. And while a typical storm doesn’t last too long, it can create a bit of chaos and fear in your loved one if he has Alzheimer’s disease.

You may be with your loved one when a storm hits (and sometimes they can be quite sudden, so there’s no warning), or he might be with his Alzheimer’s home care provider during the storm.

Whether it’s you or his Alzheimer’s Home Care provider, there are steps you can take to help him manage his concerns during the storm.

Manage the noise.

The loud, unpredictable booming of the thunder might make your loved one very anxious and nervous. He might have trouble focusing on anything and find himself getting more and more irritated. Two keys to helping him through these loud noises are distraction and elimination.

While you can’t eliminate the thunder, you might be able to eliminate or reduce the thunder your loved one hears so that he isn’t triggered by each big boom. Here are a few suggestions.

Move to the quietest part of the home. During a storm, an interior room and often a basement are the quietest areas.
Turn up the volume. If your loved one likes music, now might be the time to see if he’d like to have a mini dance party. Turn up the music and dance along. Or even sitting and enjoying some loud classical music might be enough to drown out much of the storm.
Putting on his favorite movie or TV show might also help. Watching a show or listening to music can be great distractions from the storm.
If your loved one wears them, noise-canceling headphones will help reduce the thunder and rain he hears. Do not wait to try them out during a storm. Have his Alzheimer’s home care provider help him practice wearing them in non-noisy and stressful times first.

Keep him safe.

It’s important to constantly watch your loved one during the storm. You don’t want him trying to leave the home during the storm or even spending too much time in front of a window watching it. If the power goes out, your loved one might become especially fearful or anxious and need a calm person to help him navigate the emotions he’s feeling. He will probably need multiple reassurances that everything will be okay. Your job (or the job of your Alzheimer’s home care provider) will be to be that voice of reason and calmness.

Be ready to leave if you have to.

Whether it’s heading to the basement because of a tornado or having to evacuate because of a forest fire or hurricane, be prepared beforehand by having everything packed up and ready to go. You don’t want to have to navigate trying to pack and calmly guide your parent to safer ground at the same time. By being packed beforehand, you’ll be able to give all of your attention to your loved one as you help him move toward a safer area.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Alzheimer’s Home Care in Richardson, TX, contact the caring staff at HomeWell Care Services Plano TX today. Call (469) 596-6500

HomeWell Care Services Plano TX is a Trusted Home Care Agency serving Plano, Allen, McKinney, Frisco, Richardson, Garland, Little Elm, Prosper, and the surrounding areas.