CONTACT: Pamela D. Wilson +1 303-810-1816

Email:   Inquiry_For_Pamela@pameladwilson.com

Golden, Colorado – August 28, 2021

The Caring Generation® Why Do Old People Get Mean?

Golden CO- Caregiver subject matter expert Pamela D. Wilson hosts The Caring Generation® podcast show for caregivers and aging adults. This coming Wednesday, September 1, 2021, Wilson offers insights about aging to help adult children understand why elderly parents may be mean or negative. Dr. Jennifer Frontera joins Wilson to share research about hospitalized COVID patients in New York hospitals and ongoing research about the short and long-term effects of COVID.

Wilson releases new shows for The Caring Generation series each Wednesday. Featured are tips and conversations about aging, caregiving, family relationships, and health. Also shared are interviews and research from experts worldwide about health prevention and planning for the future to avoid caregiving stress and unexpected situations. The Caring Generation is available on Wilson's website, podcast, and music apps worldwide.

The Effects of Aging on the Body and Mind

Aging isn't easy. Adult children caregivers may not understand the experiences of aging parents until they age, and aches, pains, and health issues begin to complicate life.

Being empathetic to the day-to-day struggles of aging parents can result in family caregivers losing patience. Attempting to imagine the pain or struggle to get out of bed in the morning or walk a flight of stairs is difficult for anyone who has not had this experience.

The addition of memory loss or responding to mood swings of a parent—who can't remember if they ate breakfast or became agitated or verbally abusive when reminded to shower—makes the caregiver's life increasingly difficult. The effects of aging on the body and mind grow subtlety over time. When children live at a distance or don't spend consistent time with aging parents, changes in physical or cognitive abilities can seem to crop up overnight. 

Concerns, Worry and Change Result in Feelings of Loss or Anger

As marital relationships change and the healthy spouse becomes the caregiver, adult children may gain insights into behaviors related to the feelings of a parent who is dependent on another person for care. For example, chronic pain and attending multiple doctor appointments can be physically and emotionally draining. Being unable to manage medications may lead to decreases in self-esteem or feelings of helplessness.

If a parent lacks good problem solving or coping skills, lifelong alcohol or drug use habits may increase in frequency. The effects of losing friends or being socially isolated are confirmed to pose adverse consequences for health and well-being. Spousal and adult children caregivers can experience similar feelings related to the stress of caregiving roles and responsibilities.

Changes related to giving up an active lifestyle can result in anger or mood shifts when a parent struggles to adapt and learn new strategies to complete ongoing activities. Giving up the car keys and no longer driving is a life-changing event for many elderly who miss the ability to come and go.

Adult children new to caregiving can face hurdles when discussing these sensitive topics with parents who may be reluctant to share their feelings. Wilson supports and encourages caregiving families to discuss challenges and seek solutions.

Dr. Jennifer Frontera – NYU Grossman School of Medicine

Jennifer Frontera, MD, is a professor of neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and specializes in neurocritical care and stroke.  She graduated from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and later completed neurology residency and stroke and neurocritical care fellowships at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York. 

Her research has centered on epidemiology and outcomes among patients with intracranial hemorrhage, with a recent focus on the neurological impact of COVID-19.  She has authored over 25 articles related to SARS-CoV-2 and receives funding from NIH/NINDS, NIH/NHLBI, and NIH/NIA for her COVID-related projects. In addition, Dr. Frontera sits on the WHO Brain Health task force for neurological complications of COVID-19. 

Wilson works with family caregivers, groups, and corporations worldwide to educate about the role strain that caregivers experience, managing, and planning for health and aging issues. More about Wilson's online courses for elderly care, individual elder care consultations, caregiver support, webinars, and speaking engagements are on her website www.pameladwilson.com. Pamela may also be contacted at +1 303-810-1816 or through the contact Me page on her website.

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