Understanding Dementia

Caring for someone with dementia can be daunting. If you do not understand the disease and are not compassionate toward the individual diagnosed, whether a relative or a client, you may not be dealing with dementia or the person correctly. Dementia is not just the loss of past memories. It is the loss of the individual. The disease varies, affecting each individual differently. As someone providing dementia care, you cannot assume that you will treat everyone exactly the same.  Understanding dementia and knowing will help you be a better caregiver for your loved one

Responding to Aggressive Behavior

Your parent may display aggressive behavior. Before this diagnosis your mom or dad may have been a very mild mannered individual. However, dementia may have destroyed that personality. It is imperative that both you and their dementia care provider understand that your parent is not being aggressive on purpose. The aggression is triggered by something they may not understand and cannot control. Often aggression comes from pure fear. It may be the tone of your voice, the lights in the room, temperature changes, hunger or a number of other factors in combination.

As a dementia care provider, it is your responsibility to narrow down their aggression. You are the detective to their confusion and locked brain. Therefore, you do not want to engage in their anger and dispute with them; it is your responsibility to be the calm voice of reason and bring them to a place of peace. If your mother or father says it’s day, and it is night, disputing them will only create fear and annoyance. Reassure them that they are ‘Ok,’ keep your tone light, the time of day is not of importance. Remove the word ‘NO’ from your vocabulary.  Reassurance is the key to wrapping mom or dad back into a safe world.

Help with Dementia Care

For those who are unsure of how to help their loved one with dementia and live in the Fort Myers, FL area, Assisting Hands Home Care can help. Our dementia caregivers have years of experience in working with a number of dementia patients in various stages of Alzheimer’s and dementia, and have helped many families with personal care and respite for their loved one.

For more information, please give us a call at (239) 337-4263.