Perhaps nothing is as stressful or upsetting than caring for a senior who has verbal or physical outbursts on a regular basis.
If you’re caring for a senior who has verbal or physical outbursts know you are not alone.
Keep in mind that someone with moderate to severe stages of dementia may be unable to recognize, meet or communicate their needs to their caregivers.
Often the trigger of the responsive behavior falls into one of three categories:
-Biological Triggers like Pain or Illness, Difficulty Hearing or Seeing and Hallucinations
-Social Triggers like Boredom, Confusing or unfamiliar settings and large, unfamiliar crowds
-Psychological Triggers like Memory loss, Paranoia and fear.
At the moment, you should:
-Take a deep breath and try to remember that this is not abuse or aggression toward you.
-Adapt to the perspective and needs of your senior.
-Don’t show anger, fear, alarm or anxiety
-Speak using a calm, reassuring voice.
-Give them the space they need at the moment.
Don’t be afraid to share what you’re going through with your doctor, friends and family and ask for their help.
Remember, that this is not abuse or aggression, but rather a behavior stemming from a condition that creates tremendous frustration and emotional turmoil in our loved one. Be sure to take care of yourself so that you can better care for your senior.
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(732) 967-0900
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