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Five Helpful Tips for Seniors to Overcome Common Fears - Trusted Senior Specialists

02/14/2022 | 06:00 AM | 10 Min Read
Five Helpful Tips for Seniors to Overcome Common Fears - Trusted Senior Specialists
No one can escape the natural process of growing old, however, the fears that go hand in hand with aging are common among people around the world, regardless of their gener, culture, professional background or social status, according to devotedguardian.com
Let’s address some of these fears, and then ways to combat them.
Fear #1 Fear of Being Alone

Monophobia is the term for the fear of being alone. It occurs when a person feels abandoned that can cause severe anxiety that far outweighs the actual threat or experience.  The fear is so intense that it impacts daily functioning according to verywellhealth.com.  It doesn’t always mean that you’re physically alone but sometimes feeling invisible in a crowd, feeling unloved or ignored.  

Solution:  Get out there!  Join a club, call a friend.  Adopt a pet, volunteer at a pre-school, Take up a new hobby.  Connect with someone or something.

Fear #2 Fear of Feeling Unsafe

Solution: Get your family to install security lights or cameras if you feel you need them.  Find a buddy who also lives alone and develop a “check in on each other” system. Have your emergency contact friends and family’s phone numbers clearly marked in various places…ie. On your kitchen refrigerator or in your glove compartment.  Avoid driving at night or in unfamiliar areas.  Put a can of wasp spray at your door, which has the ability to be an unsuspecting weapon if sprayed into the eyes of an intruder that will certainly buy you some time to get to safety.  

Fear #3:  Declining Health

Solution:  While we can’t turn back the clock on our aging bodies, it’s never too late to start eating better, exercising, lose weight and stop putting off seeing your healthcare professional. What bad habits can you change?  Take a hot bath in epsom salts.  Stop obsessing about your muffin top or your graying hair. Laugh more.  

Fear #4  Running Out of Money

Solution:  Take this as an opportunity to downsize, move in with family or a friend, sell stuff you don’t need anymore, or move someplace cheaper.  See what you can get for that mink stall in the closet that you haven’t worn for years, or your car that you don’t drive anymore. Look for free activities and thrift stores to shop at.

Fear #5  Fear of not being able to handle your day to day activities and losing your independence.  

Solution:  Set aside your pride and call in those favors.  Remember all those years when you helped your friend or neighbor or took care of the grandkids?  Now it’s their turn to come over and help with the yard work, or drive you to the mall.  Just put on your tierra, sip your favorite beverage, sit in your lawn chair and shout out those orders! 

Treat yourself to maybe hiring a housekeeper even just once a week if you can afford it.  Get someone else to do the heavy lifting, spring cleaning or back breaking chores.  

 

 

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