The negative behaviors associated with Alzheimers disease can be overwhelming, frustrating, and even frightening for you as a family caregiver. They can take many forms, from aggression, to combativeness, to anxiety or refusal to cooperate with care. This can create a situation that is not only uncomfortable but can even be dangerous for both your senior and for you. Addressing these behaviors effectively is an important step in protecting your parent, and yourself, and ensuring that they get the care that is right for them at all times.

Use these tips to help you address negative behaviors in a senior with Alzheimer’s disease:

  • Try to understand what is causing the behaviors. Ask yourself if your parent might be hungry, thirsty, tired, overwhelmed, confused, or in pain.
  • Take steps to resolve any immediately obvious cause of the behaviors.
  • Avoid focusing on your perception of reality and instead focus on what is affecting your parent. If they are afraid of the ghosts that they think are in the room, or are upset because they believe that people are making fun of them, even if you know for a fact that neither is true, it is far more important to address your parents emotions and resolve them than to try to get them to accept your reality.
  • Remind yourself that this is not really your parent, but the disease. This can help you to ease your immediately defensive emotions and focus on handling the situation.
  • Speak calmly and avoid showing any elevated emotions because these are likely to make the situation worse.
  • If you feel that you are in danger, ensure that your parent is secure and safe, and then remove yourself from the situation by going into another room for a few minutes until the situation calms down.

Being a family caregiver can be challenging, but fortunately, there is help. As a family caregiver you do not have to feel that you are alone or that you need to take on all of the care responsibilities for your aging parent on your own. Home care is there to help you fill all of your parents care needs in a way that is right for them, while also supporting their independence and quality of life, and ensuring that you can focus on all of the other aspects of your life as well. This can be particularly important if you live at a distance or are in the sandwich generation, raising children as well as caring for your parent. The personalized services of a home care provider ensure that your parent has access to everything that they need to live the quality of life that they deserve both when you are with them and when you are not.

https://www.alz.org/care/alzheimers-dementia-aggression-anger.asp

If you or an aging loved one are considering caregivers in Eden Prairie, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.