Agitation in Dementia: What Is It and How Should You Respond?

Agitation in dementia... If we were pressed for a concise definition, one might not come immediately to mind. Yet, many of you know it when you see it. Restlessness, calling out, wandering, combativeness with care and paranoia, in addition to many other behaviors, have all been classified as "agitation." What's more important, however, as we look at agitation, is knowing how best to respond. Perhaps these feelings are familiar? "What should I do?" "It's so frustrating!" "I want to help but I don't know how." "I wish she'd just calm down." So, what to do? First, what NOT to do. The first step to take when someone with Alzheimer's, vascular dementia or another kind of dementia becomes agitated is not to give psychotropic medication. (Psychotropic medicines are those that are used to treat the behavioral and emotional symptoms that sometimes result from dementia.) These medications might be appropriate at some point but they should not be the first response. Second, consider what the cause of these behaviors might be. Is the person restless and in need of a walk? Hungry? Tired? In pain? In too loud of an environment? Bored? Lonely? Third, try an intervention and pay attention to its effectiveness. Then try another, and another. Sometimes it's possible not just to figure out how to respond well to agitation, but also to prevent it by proactively meeting someone's needs. Maybe music will help, maybe pain medication will help, maybe a mid-morning walk will help. Ther...
Source: About Alzheimers Disease - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news