Wednesday Workshop – Anger and Aggression in Alzheimer’s
Hello and welcome to today’s Wednesday Workshop. Agitation means that a person is restless and worried. The person doesn’t seem to be able to settle down or ease themselves into a calm state. Agitated people may pace a lot, not be able to sleep, or act aggressively towards others. They may verbally lash out or try to hurt someone. Most of the time, these behaviors happen for a reason.
Here are some causes of anger and aggression in Alzheimer’s:
- Pain or stress – and not know how to explain it
- Too little sleep
- Constipation
- Sudden change in daily routine
- A feeling of loss – may be they are no longer able to drive
- Feeling lonely
- Too much noise or confusion or too many people in their area
- Interaction of medicines
Here are suggestions to help you cope with anger and aggression in Alzheimer’s:
- Try not to ignore the problem
Doing nothing can make things worse. Try to find the causes of the behavior. If you deal with the causes, the behavior may stop.
- Allow your loved one to keep as much control as they need until they calm down.
- Reassure your loved one
Speak calmly. Listen to your loved one’s concerns and frustrations. Try to show them that you understand if they are angry or fearful.
- Distract and redirect
Try to distract your loved one with a favorite snack, object or activity.
These are just a few suggestions but for additional tips on anger and aggression in Alzheimer’s, feel free to call us at (877) 760-9199. Thanks for watching today’s Wednesday Workshop and we’ll see you again next week!
