A study conducted recently found that 10% of older Americans have dementia. We may all be familiar with the more usual changes that come with dementia, such as forgetfulness, wandering, not being able to recognize friends and family, and bad hygiene. However, anger and aggression are some of the most challenging behaviors to deal with when providing elderly care in Great Falls, VA.
Not All with Dementia Show Anger
While not all people with dementia will act angry or violently, the National Institutes of Health say that 60% of people with mild cognitive impairment and 76% of people with Alzheimer’s disease have been known to be agitated. Usually, anger and violence show up in the middle to late stages of the disease. Professionals from companies such as Business name state that caring for people who are angry and act aggressively is not only challenging and tiring, but it can also be scary.
Tips on Responding to the Anger
For people with memory issues, the Alzheimer’s Association suggests that if you provide elderly care in Great Falls, VA, you try to figure out what’s causing the behavior and, if possible, how to keep it from happening again. It might help to think about what happened before the response that caused the behavior. It’s best to rule out any pain that could have caused the violent behavior. Always use a soft and soothing voice when dealing with an angry outburst.
While the person is safe, you can leave them briefly and do something for yourself. Make sure that both of you are safe. If the person can’t calm down, get help from other people. In a crisis, you should always call 911. If you do call 911, be sure to let the operators know that the person is acting this way because they have dementia.