5 Dementia Caregiver Tips to Prevent Challenging Behaviors
Caregiver, are you dealing with challenging dementia behaviors like:
sundowning
agitation or anger
wandering
just to name a few
and you want to know if there is anything you can do to stop these challenging dementia behaviors before they even start?
In this post, we are going to learn 5 tips that you as the caregiver can use to prevent common challenging dementia behaviors before they even start.
That way, you can spend less time putting out fires and more time creating rewarding moments that get you through the harder times.
By the way, when you do get that win, comment it down below so we can celebrate you and while you're at it, join our facebook group so a LOT of us can celebrate you.
#1 Look for Patterns/Triggers
What most new caregivers don't know when they start this journey is that due to the physical changes that are happening to their brain due to dementia makes them more sensitive to things like:
Noises
Objects
Lights
Minor discomfort
Etc.
These can often be the things that are unknowingly triggering the challenging behaviors you are dealing with. Look for any object, noise, light, pattern or any outside thing in your home or workplace that can be adjusted to minimize the chance of challenging behaviors coming up.
Examples of this are:
Turning off the TV and only having soft music playing
Hiding objects that trigger an argument
Putting out comforting objects like a favorite item
#2 Have a Routine of Activities Throughout the Day
Often times challenging behaviors come from:
Feelings of boredom
Loss of purpose
Simply not knowing what they need to be doing
Having a routine of work and leisure activities in place for them helps give them direction and purpose in their day, making agitation and sundowning a lot less likely.
If you have no idea where to start, I just made a video tutorial on making a routine that helps minimize challenging behaviors.
#3 Only correct when it is a safety issue
A lot of fights happen because caregivers see their person with dementia doing something strange like
Wearing 2 shirts
Saying things that are untrue
Hiding objects in odd places
A good rule of thumb is that if your person with dementia isn't hurting themselves or anyone else, let the behavior go.
#4 Tone of Voice and Body Language
It is easy for us as caregivers to make mild frustration in our person with dementia worse by our reaction to it. If we sound frustrated ourselves or have stern looking body language with arms crossed or standing over them it can make a mild situation into a bad one quick.
If you are feeling overwhelmed or like you can't react the way you want to, give them and yourself space to calm down or if it is possible have someone else tap in for you so you can give yourself the mental break you need to respond in a way that is helpful.
#5 Look for What Your Person with Dementia is Doing Right
Often times, we can get so caught up in doing things for our person or telling them what they are doing wrong that we can forget how emotionally difficult that can be on our person with dementia.
Be on the lookout for things your person with dementia can still do and praise them for it often. You don't have to lie about their abilities, simply take the attitude that no accomplishment is too small.
However, make sure if you see your person with dementia is getting uncomfortable with the praise or feels it is condescending to ask them what they would like to hear as far as praise.
So there you have it, 5 ways to prevent challenging dementia behaviors:
Look for patterns and triggers
Have a routine for them
Only correct when it is a safety issue
Watch your tone of voice and body language
Look for what your person with dementia can still do
Try at least 1 of these 5 strategies and see if you can get yourself a win with your loved one or client.
If you do, make sure to comment that win down below and while your at it, join my facebook group and share it with our community as well by clicking the link below.
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Celebration for all you do as a caregiver that often gets overlooked
Support and answers to questions that come up as a dementia caregiver
The most kind and amazing community of folks going through what you are
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