What May Cause Negative Behaviors in a Senior with Alzheimer’s Disease?

It can be a devastating and frightening moment when your aging parent suddenly lashes out at you, uses profanity, physically resists your care, or becomes agitated and anxious. As a family caregiver for an elderly adult who is living with Alzheimer’s disease, however, behaviors such as these can become all too familiar. Understanding why they happen and what you can do to manage them can help you to ease the emotional stress and pain that can come as a result of them, and allow you to focus on continuing to give your aging parent the care that they deserve.

Elderly Care in Delray Beach FL: Negative Behaviors and Alzheimer’s

Some of the potential reasons that negative behaviors may occur in a senior with Alzheimer’s disease include:

• Not knowing where they are and feeling frightened or out of control

• Not following their usual routine or schedule that can leave them feeling nervous and confused

• Being around unfamiliar people or people who they no longer remember

• Being around environmental factors that might bring to mind memories from far in their past that are emotionally difficult for them

• Hunger or thirst that they cannot understand or properly express to you

• Physical pain or discomfort that can come from their clothing, their position, sores, or other factors and that they cannot properly express to you

• Tiredness

• Side effects of medications that might be uncomfortable or confusing for your parent

• Overstimulation such as from bright lights, loud noises, or too many people

• Feeling overwhelmed by too many instructions or too many people talking to them at the same time

• Picking up on and responding to your stress, tension, or negative emotions

Being a family caregiver can be challenging, but fortunately, there is help available. 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 parent’s 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.

If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring a professional elderly care in Delray Beach, FL, please call the caring staff at Alongside Home Health.  Providing senior care in Palm Beach County and surrounding cities. Call for Assistance: (800) 712-4266

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

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Michelle Hankla, Patient Care Coordinator and Community Liaison

Patient Care Coordinator and Community Liaison at Alongside Home Health

Michelle has spent many years in a customer focused setting in a variety of community organizations. She has worked with seniors for many years particularly those with Alzheimer’s and Dementia. As part of the Alongside team, she works closely with our client service team to ensure client satisfaction. She visits healthcare facilities, clients and their families to ensure that top notch care is being provided to their satisfaction. She is the interface between our caregivers, clients, and our organization that keeps everything operating smoothly. She has resided in Palm Beach county for many years and has two children.

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