Anxiety
X
GO

Tips for Careworkers:
Anxiety

What it is: Feeling anxious means a person feels scared or worried about something. This is normal, and usually goes away.

Anxiety is when these feelings don’t go away.

Why it matters: Many older people experience anxiety. Anxiety can be more common when people have a serious illness or at the end of life.

In an older person anxiety can be difficult to see because it is often associated with loneliness, depression and/or dementia.

When a person experiences anxiety and depression together, their symptoms and outcomes are more severe.

What I need to know: Anxiety can create physical symptoms, and changed behaviours and thoughts. These responses affect a person’s health and quality of life.

Do

Look out for and report to nursing/supervisory staff, if a person:

  • becomes unable to relax
  • becomes bad tempered
  • has trouble sleeping or concentrating
  • feels very tired or very awake
  • is short of breath.
 

Do

Gently ask the person ‘Is there anything else troubling you?’ or ‘Is there anything you would like to talk about?’ It can help a person to talk about things that worry them.

 

Do

Treat the person with respect. Help them to maintain their sense of dignity, purpose, and spiritual well-being.

 

My reflections:

 

What is anxiety?
 

What signs of anxiety should I report to the nurse or supervisor?


 

For references and the latest version of all the Tip Sheets visit www.palliaged.com.au/Practice-Centre/For-Careworkers

 

CareSearch is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.
Updated July 2022

Flinders University logo