Mirror Mirror on the Wall

Mirrors are used in design for practical reasons such as grooming or just for decorating a room, however as a person progresses with dementia, mirrors can become a trigger for anxiety.  If you are caring for a person that lives in the past, watch out for signs of distress when the person you're caring for catches a glimpse of themselves in the mirror. Imagine if you thought you were in your 20’s, 30’s, or 40’s and you look in the mirror only to find an image of someone in their 90’s looking back at you. It sounds like an episode of The Twilight Zone and it can be frightening. 

We also know that changing a person's environment by removing something can trigger anxiety, especially if they have lived there for years, which can make removing a mirror tricky. So here are a few ideas on how to gradually cover a mirror that hopefully will go unnoticed and bring relief to both you as the caregiver and the person you care for. 

Use the mirror to gradually:

Display cards from holidays

Display pictures of family members

Display pictures from a magazine of the person's favorite things

Drape a scarf or any beautiful piece of fabric 

If the opportunity arises because of a move or some other circumstance remove the mirror completely, add a grid over the mirror, cover the mirror with a decorative paper or replace the mirror over a dresser with a TV.

Always remember to try to put yourself in their place and think creatively about how to relieve the anxiety brought on by mirrors. If you have a whole wall that is mirrored, this article may help.

Wishing you the best peaceful and loving caregiving.