Do you have a loved one with dementia? Have they ever behaved meanly or aggressively towards you? People with dementia can sometimes behave aggressively, either physically or verbally, which can be obviously distressing for the person and their family and friends. A way to help manage mean dementia behavior is by understating the causes and what triggers it.
People with dementia have the same needs and desires for comfort, social interaction, mental stimulation, and being free from pain as everyone else. However people with dementia may be unable to recognize their needs, know how to meet them, or how to communicate their desires to others. This can cause them to become mean or aggressive. This aggressive behavior might be the person’s way of meeting a need, or a direct consequence of their needs being unfulfilled.
Understanding what is causing the person’s aggressive behavior can be the first step to finding a solution. There are three main causes of mean behavior in dementia sufferers, which are: biological, social and psychological.
Biological Factors
Biological factors that contribute to mean dementia behavior are pain, illness and physical discomfort. Poor eyesight and poor hearing can also lead to frustrating misunderstandings and misperceptions. The physical effects of dementia on the brain can also affect the person’s judgment and self-control, lowering their inhibitions or decreasing their awareness of what kind of behavior is appropriate.
Social Factors
Certain social factors, such as a lack of social contact, or loneliness, inactivity, and boredom can result in mean dementia behavior. Also aggressive behaviors could be the result of a person trying to hide their condition from others, and not knowing how to ask for help.
Psychological Factors
Psychological causes are a result of changes in the brain, and mean behavior can come from the person becoming frustrated from not being able to complete a task, or being ignored in decision making because there is the perception they can no longer do things for themselves. The person might feel threatened by what they think is a strange environment. They may think they are in the wrong place or that strangers are in their home. They may also have difficulty understanding and interpreting the world around them, and get angry when this prevents them from carrying out a task they believe needs completing. All of these factors, and physical changes in the brain can also result in clinical depression, which would only make communicating more difficult.
So how do I manage mean behavior
1. Calm down the situation
Do your best to remember that they truly don't mean the things that they are saying. Even though this can be difficult at times, recognizing this can lower your stress and tension, and help you be objective to calm down the situation.To help you calm the situation and comfort and reassure your loved one, you need to limit the distractions in the room. Turn off the TV or ask others to leave. If you stay calm, your loved one is more likely to calm down.
2. Try to understand the causes of the mean behavior.
Look for any pain or discomfort, or signs of overstimulation. Try to see if they are feeling disturbed by their surroundings or overwhelmed by a task. Look for the feelings behind the way they are acting as a way to identify the cause.
3. Keep track of possible triggers, and avoid them.
Whenever difficult behavior comes up, make a note of what happened, marking the time and date. Also think about what was going on just before the behavior started and write that down as a possible trigger. For example, if your notes show that your loved one gets angry and starts calling you names around 4pm on most days, it could be because they haven’t eaten since noon and they’re hungry. They may not realize it or don’t know how to ask for food. To test your theory, try giving them a snack around 3:30pm to see if that helps prevent the outbursts.
4. Check for a urinary tract infection.
This can put a lot of stress on an older adult’s immune system which can cause sudden, unexplained behaviour changes, such as: difficult behaviour, more agitation, or being less responsive than usual.
5. Put on their favorite music.
Listening to the favorite music of the person with dementia may help to reduce aggressive behavior. For example, if there is a certain time of day when the person tends to become aggressive, it may help to put on some music that you know they enjoy at that time. If a particular activity such as bathing can lead to the person behaving aggressively, put on some music before you begin.
6. Consider a professional care provider
Professional care providers are trained to interact with and help stimulate dementia sufferers with activities and socialization. Hiring a professional to provide respite care, or on a more permanent basis can help reduce stress and aid sleep, improving overall behavior and reducing the need to act out.
7. Lean on family, friends, and other help to get a break.
Always being around the same person can sometimes make you annoyed and short-tempered. Taking some time away can help both of you. Ask family and friends to take over for a few hours or hire a professional caregiver. Taking regular breaks gives you a chance to take care of yourself and gives you both a little time away from each other.
Alzheimer’s and dementia are terrible brain diseases that can cause mean and hurtful behavior. Take a deep breath, remind yourself that it’s not personal, address immediate discomfort or fear, and try to find the cause behind the behavior. Next, look for long-term solutions that will help you get the support and rest you need to keep your cool in tough situations like these. If you need additional information, or would like to schedule a free in-home consultation to discuss your family’s in-home care needs, contact us today at 1-844-505-0004. American In-Home Care refers qualified and compassionate care providers that can help with many services, including Companion Care, Personal Care, Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care.
