Your Mom Clings to You – Is It Really Just Loneliness?

By Andy Niska | May 10, 2018 |

When you visit your mom, she clings to you. If you leave the room, she’s hot on your heels. If you go outside, she follows you. She follows you to the bathroom, the kitchen, and any other room you need to visit.

You’re thinking that she’s lonely. She must not want to leave your side because she’s feeling alone when you go somewhere else. You need to stop and ask one question: Does she have Alzheimer’s?

Senior Care in Spokane Valley WA: Shadowing and Alzheimer’s

Shadowing and Alzheimer’s.

Shadowing is a common symptom in the latter stages of Alzheimer’s. As the brain deteriorates, certain items your mom used to keep herself oriented in terms of time and location diminish. A calendar means little to her. She doesn’t know what day it is, time of day, or even month.

When you go to the bathroom, your mom’s lack of a concept of time comes into play. While you’ve only been gone for a minute or two, it can seem like forever to her. Her day is filled with uncertainty. The only control she feels she has is by sticking close to someone she trusts.

How Do You Ease Her Behavior?

You might not be able to stop your mom from following so closely. There are, however, things you can try to provide more of a sense of security.

The first thing you need to do is keep her world as she knows it. It’s not a good time to move her furniture around or replace older sofas that are worn out. Those are the pieces of furniture she’s familiar with. They’re in the location she chose when she still had full brain function. Keep them that way.

Create and stick to a daily routine. Get your mom up at the same hour, check off tasks as close to the same hours as possible, and eat meals on a schedule. Try not to stray from the daily routine. Routine is going to be the most help.

If you have a full-time job, it can be hard to create and stick to a schedule. Adult day care is a great program to make sure your mom follows a routine. The programs usually allow you to drop off your mom on the way to work and pick her up after. She’ll join others and enjoy socialization. She may be resistant at first, but she’ll get used to the routine and really start to enjoy herself.

Make sure you’re getting breaks from your mom’s clingy behavior. It can be frustrating and overwhelming, but you’ll hurt her if you lash out. Take time away for yourself by hiring senior care services. Caregivers can take over while you go out with friends or family. You’ll return refreshed and ready to spend time with your mom.

If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in Spokane Valley, WA, please contact the friendly staff at Love at Home Senior Care, today. Call (509) 204-4088

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Andy Niska

Owner at Love In Home Senior Care

Andy has over 20+ years experience in the medical community and has a true compassion for seniors. With a degree in Health Care Administration, he developed a background in a variety of health care services that only comes from first hand experience. While working as a manager of a large clinic and as an account executive for medical suppliers. Andy has built valuable relationships with the medical community.

His role in Love In Home Senior Care is to educate people on what care choice is the best fit for the senior and their family while attempting to make this decision as stress-free as possible for everyone involved.

This decision making process should be smooth and stress free for everyone, including all family members and their loved ones. Having access to people with experience (like the team at Love In Home Senior Care) to assist you along the way can help this process. With an extensive background in health care, Andy has the experience needed to guide and direct your loved one to the choice that is the best fit.