Alzheimer’s and fear of being alone
Many caregivers find it challenging to cope when their older adult has Alzheimer’s and fear of being alone.
When a person with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia doesn’t want you out of their sight, this behavior is called shadowing.
Their fear can cause them to follow you around the house so you’re constantly in their sight. They might even get upset if you go to the bathroom or take the trash outside.
This behavior can also make it very difficult for you to leave the house – they might cry, become angry or mean, or repeatedly ask where you are.
We explain why someone with dementia might be afraid to be alone and share 5 techniques that help reduce the fear that causes shadowing and help you cope with the behavior.
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Why someone with dementia is afraid to be alone
Experts suggest that Alzheimer’s or dementia shadowing happens because the damage in their brain has caused them to make you the center of their world.
They’re not doing it purposely to be difficult or to cause trouble. They follow you closely to reassure themselves that you’re still there.
You’re their lifeline and connection to the outside world. You care and provide for them and keep them safe from anything strange or confusing.
And when they can’t see or touch you, they can get scared and anxious.
Even if you’ve never done anything that would make them think you’d abandon them, they may become paranoid that you’ll leave and never come back.
The fear isn’t caused by anything you’ve done. It’s yet another challenge of living with dementia.
5 ways to reduce Alzheimer’s shadowing
1. Include other trusted people One of the best ways to help your older adult feel safe and secure even if you’re not there is to expand their world to include one or two more people.
This needs to be done slowly so your older adult can grow to trust and rely on the “new” people and feel comfortable enough to be alone with them while you get some much-needed time away.
These additional people could be other family members, close friends, or professional caregivers.
Start by having them come on a regular schedule to help while you’re with your older adult. Then, slowly ease them into doing more.
Over time, your older adult will be ok with them taking over while you’re not around.
2. Involve them in repetitive, soothing activities when you need to step away Sometimes you just need time to do chores in the house without someone (literally) breathing down your neck.
When this happens, ask your older adult to “help” you and give them a soothing, repetitive task to keep them occupied and take their mind off their fear.
For example, if you need to cook dinner, ask them to sit at the kitchen table and sort a pile of forks and spoons, fold hand towels, smooth crumpled tissue paper, or organize the kitchen junk drawer. Any safe activity that doesn’t cause trouble will do.
The goal isn’t to have your older adult accomplish the task correctly, it’s to keep their hands and mind happily occupied.
Advertisement 3. Distract and redirect Distracting and redirecting is a helpful technique to try in situations where you need to leave the house or if your older adult has already become highly agitated because you’ve left their sight.
First, find a way to gently validate what they’re saying.
Even if they say something like “You hate me, you can’t wait to get away from me, and you’re abandoning me!” you could respond by calmly saying something like “Oh my, you must be feeling very upset.”
This type of answer validates their feelings and avoids a bigger fight because you didn’t say that they’re wrong.
It’s calming even if you didn’t directly agree with what they’ve said because it shows that you recognize how they feel.
Next, find a way to distract them from their worry about you leaving them.
For example, you could point out a pretty flower in the backyard, offer them a favorite drink or snack, or ask them for their help with a made-up task and walk together to another part of the house.
Then, redirect them to an activity that they enjoy.
You or someone who’s helping out while you’re out may have to do this over and over again depending on how much fear and anxiety your older adult is feeling.
4. Make a recording of yourself Another way to soothe your older adult when you can’t be right next to them is to have them listen or watch something you’ve recorded for them.
Maybe it’s a tape or digital recording of you reading their favorite book. Or you might make a video of you reading aloud or even of you doing regular chores.
Sometimes just being able to hear or see you is enough of a comfort to get them through the time of separation.
5. Help them understand how long you’ll be gone Part of the issue is that someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia loses their sense of time.
A minute, a day, or a year might seem the same because they’ve lost the ability to keep track of time.
So, saying that you’ll just be gone for a minute might not even mean anything to them.
To help them track time, try something simple like an egg timer.
For example, if you’re going to the bathroom, set the timer for the amount of time you’ll be gone – 5 minutes.
Have your older adult hold the timer and let them know that when the buzzer goes off, that’s when you’ll be back. They’ll be able to watch the numbers count down and know exactly when you’ll return.
This can also work for other quick chores like checking the mailbox or taking out the trash.
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By DailyCaring Editorial Team
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