Placing ourselves in the shoes of those afflicted with dementia can be an extremely hard task, most especially for caregivers. Dementia sufferers can often display erratic and unexplainable behavior that are seemingly triggered by random events. Written by an actual caregiver, this article we found on the Enduring Care website is an enlightening look into dementia patient behaviors that can help caregivers interpret and care for their wards properly.
The article calls to mind a phenomenon called “sundowning”, which refers to unexplained behaviors exhibited by those with dementia that commonly occurs late in the day or at night without any apparently cause. The article (Part I in a series) begins the discussion by bringing up two behaviors types and how caregivers can help deal with them.
The first behavior, elder anxiety and caregiver environmental scanning, speaks on moments when the elder becomes visibly agitated and anxious. The article recommends shutting off televisions and taking note of what was being shown at the time (was there a distressing news report playing?) Reassuring the elder that you’re aware of occurring regular noises in the area (planes flying overhead, car alarms going off, etc.) also helps greatly. Doing these exercises is also a great way to have a conversation.
The second behavior, elderly pacing at home, could signal that the elder is acting on a seeking pattern, where they’re looking for what they need to do next. The best way to deal is to provide re-direction to help guide them towards a positive activity. If that doesn’t work, the caregiver shouldn’t feel rejected; if ever, the pacing is a great way for the elder to get some much-needed exercise.
The article’s best advice is simply to go with the flow instead of letting your caregiver anxieties kick in. Sometimes the situation is a lot simpler than it looks.
Read the article.
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