Alleviating Alzheimer’s Agitation
When seniors have Alzheimer’s or dementia, their mood can change within a matter of minutes. One minute they might be happy and joyful, and the next minute they might be agitated, aggressive and even angry. As a caregiver or family member, coping with these situations can be a challenge, and it’s hard not to take it personally; but with these tips you can alleviate and even prevent the agitation that can come with Alzheimer’s.
1. Try to narrow down the cause of the behavior – ask “who, what, where, when, why?” and try to find commonalities in the situations when the behavior occurs. This will help caregivers to determine if the changes in behavior could be caused by physical discomfort, over-stimulation, confusing surroundings, complicated tasks, or frustrating situations with communication problems
2. Be prepared to soothe and distract – have a memory box, photo and other familiar items ready to soothe or distract the combative and upset senior
3. Watch for signs – be aware of physical signs that they’re becoming agitated; most will be non-verbal and you might be able to defuse the situation before the senior becomes too upset
4. Move it – move to a different environment or a quieter spot if the senior is over-stimulated
5. Slow down your actions – as the senior becomes more upset, he/she is likely to speed up communication and actions in the agitation. Slow down, talk slowly, and you can have a soothing effect
6. Remove dangerous objects – keep sharp, pointy and other dangerous objects in a safe and secure place. If the senior becomes agitated, he/she might accidentally harm themselves or someone else
Via: Wellington Parc
Image: jupiterimages.com
