Dementia impacts short-term memory and directly causes repetitive behavior like repeated speech. Because this can be frustrating, it’s important to equip yourself with techniques on how to gracefully handle this situation with your senior loved one. Our Tapestries Memory Care team has put together a list of ways to respond when someone with dementia keeps repeating themselves, as well as tips on how to handle other common dementia behaviors.
Dementia behaviors and how to handle them
constructively
- Know they have no control – Although our first instinct is to
become annoyed when someone repeats themself, it’s important to remember
that seniors with dementia have little or no control over this behavior.
This can help ease our frustration and understand the behavior more
patiently.
- Find the reason behind the repetition – Repeating a question
can occur for several reasons – and it’s not usually because they have
forgotten the answer. Usually, this behavior occurs due to stress,
anxiety, fear, or discomfort. It may also be an indication of pain or
illness. When repetition occurs, it’s a good idea to provide general
reassurance and check that their physical needs are being met, and to run
through a quick, basic wellness checklist.
- Respond to the emotion, not the words – Your loved one may be
constantly asking when their husband will visit, or what happened on a
particular day, but it’s better to focus on what emotions are causing
their behavior rather than the words themselves. Addressing the emotions
they are feeling rather than what they are literally asking about is much
more likely to soothe them than an actual answer. Try a reassuring hug or
hand squeeze while you respond.
- Be brief – Don’t answer your loved one the way you’d answer
anyone without dementia. Instead, be as short and simple as possible, as
this saves your energy and helps prevent both of you from getting
frustrated. Also, don’t be afraid to lie if it will help resolve their
emotional state. This may feel like a betrayal, but a gentle and
considerate lie can be much more helpful and caring towards them than the
truth, especially if it is a sad or traumatic truth. Nothing good can come
from them reliving bad memories.
- Try a distraction – Try to break the pattern by distracting
them with something helpful. For example, if they keep asking when they’ll
be leaving their assisted living space to go back home, you can say that
it’s soon, but it’s a good idea to have a snack and a rest before the
journey. This way, they can refocus their mind on a different task and
help support their health at the same time. You can also ask them a basic
question to help create a distraction, like asking about the weather.
- Give yourself breathing room – It’s only human to get
frustrated at your loved one and then get even more frustrated at
yourself! As a caregiver, it’s important to give yourself space to step
away from the situation. Do a quick calming exercise, take a few deep
breaths, walk around the garden, or put on your headphones and listen to
your favorite song. This will give you space to cool off and might even
inspire you on new ways to assist your loved one.
Part-time and full-time dementia care in South Jersey
At UMC at The Shores, a United Methodist Communities
assisted living campus, we offer exceptional memory care in beautiful Ocean
City, NJ. We aim to create a safe, compassionate, and enjoyable space for
seniors with dementia conditions, where quality of life is a priority. Our
team is fully trained in techniques for dealing with dementia, for supporting
memory health and wellness, and for helping families and loved ones navigate
this illness.
To find out more about memory
care in Cape May County, contact us today or visit our website at https://theshores.umcommunities.org
No comments:
Post a Comment