If you have a parent suffering from dementia, you will notice behaviors that you aren't used to your parent exhibiting. You have to remember that this is the dementia taking over and not necessarily your parent acting out. For this reason, you need to know how to handle the situation properly. Here are three forms of dementia behavior and how you can handle it:
Aggressive Speech: Many times, your parent may become aggressive in their speech and even possibly their actions. They may yell aggressively that they don't want to do something or that they want something. This type of aggression is usually due to your parent being triggered by something in their environment that is making their uncomfortable. It can even be due to poor communication that is making them frustrated. The best thing to do in this situation is identify what may be causing the problem and then staying calm in order to fix it. The worst thing you could do is argue back, which can only lead to more aggressive behavior by your parent.
Confusion: You will also find that your parent becomes confused easily. Most of the time, it has to do with not recognizing something. For example, your parent could be living in a facility for years and all of the sudden demand to go home because they don't know where they are. The best thing to do is provide simple explanations to clear up the confusion. However, in some situations, it may be better to redirect them to another conversation or activity. Don't try and reason with your parent though, which can only lead to the aggressive behavior described earlier.
Poor Judgement: There are times when you will find that your parent is making poor judgement calls. For example, accusing someone of stealing something. You must remember that dementia can cause delusions. You will want to help by showing them there is nothing to be accusatory of. For example, if they accuse someone of stealing something, you can simply show them that it's right where they left it calmly instead of calling them out on it, which can make your parent feel embarrassed.
When you know what types of behavior issues you might yourself dealing with, you can become better prepared for it. Having a parent suffering from dementia is challenging, but knowing how to handle it makes it a bit easier to cope. To learn more, contact local memory care providers.
