Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. The disease affects the parts of the brain that control a person’s thoughts, behaviors, and memories. This progressive disease with no current cure can transform a person that you’ve loved and cherished your whole life into someone who acts and behaves in manners you never thought possible. Understanding the disease and its effects, along with help from Alzheimer’s home care providers, can make you more prepared to serve your loved one.
Why Your Loved One with Alzheimer’s Might Be Aggressive
Not everyone who has Alzheimer’s disease becomes aggressive. Aggression can take the form of verbal or physical assaults that, as a caregiver, can shake you up and make it difficult to care for your loved one. Understanding why your loved one might become aggressive can help you reduce and manage it when it does occur.
- Communication Struggles: Your loved one may be struggling to communicate with you, which can elevate his frustration and possibly aggressiveness. He might not understand what you’re asking of him or be unable to properly explain what he needs.
- Feeling Uncomfortable: Your loved one may be too hot or cold, the room too noisy, or the light too strong. Being uncomfortable can make anyone crabby and quickly escalate your loved one’s mood into anger and aggression if he can’t eliminate the discomfort himself.
- Physical Discomfort: Your loved one might be ill or have an injury he can’t properly explain to you, making him short-tempered and abusive. He could also be hungry, thirsty, or tired. Those can all elevate his irritability levels.
Tips to Manage Aggressive Behavior
The key to managing your loved one’s aggressive behavior is to either remove or fix the situation that is making him aggressive or to distract him from it when it can’t be altered at the moment (such as the loud noise of the neighbor mowing his lawn).
Here are some quick tips from Alzheimer’s home care providers to help eliminate areas causing your loved one to be aggressive:
- If communication seems to be the issue, look for non-verbal signs to understand what your loved one is trying to tell you. Ask simple questions that only require simple answers. If your loved one is communicating an untruth (he is sure the dog is peeing in his bed), instead of arguing, agree to work on what he requests and then divert the conversation to another topic.
- For discomfort, look at nonverbal clues for what’s bothering your loved one. Are his hands cold, thus he might be feeling overly chilled? If his eyes are squinted, close the blinds and see if that helps, or eliminate any noise that may be irritating.
- Before aggression escalates, check in and see if your loved one has all he needs. Is he thirsty? Does he need a snack to hold him over until a meal?
Alzheimer’s Home Care Providers Can Help with Aggressive Loved Ones
Sometimes, it’s important to remove yourself from the situation, especially if you feel your own emotions escalating. Having an Alzheimer’s home care provider who can step in and care for your loved one compassionately, even when he’s agitated and aggressive, can help you refocus and relax.
Alzheimer’s home care professionals are trained in the most effective responses and know how to de-escalate a situation with kindness and patience for everyone involved. Their job is to help you provide the best care for your loved one.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Alzheimer’s Home Care in Florence, SC, please contact the caring staff at Avodah Home Care. Call (877) 4-AVODAH
Avodah Home Care is a Trusted Home Care Agency serving Abbeville, Aiken, Anderson, Barnwell, Calhoun County, Chesterfield County, Darlington, Dillon, Edgefield, Batesburg-Leesville, Florence, Greenville, Greenwood, Columbia, Lexington, Camden, Blythewood, Winnsboro, Orangeburg, Sumter, Gaston, Hopkins, Bishopville and surrounding areas.
Our team includes registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, home health aides, and other healthcare professionals, all of whom have years of experience in the home care industry. We work together to provide comprehensive care that encompasses both medical and non-medical services, helping our clients maintain their independence and live with dignity in their own homes.
With our decades of experience, we have developed a deep understanding of the home care industry and the best practices for providing high-quality care. We are dedicated to staying up-to-date on the latest advances in care delivery, and we are committed to providing our clients with the most effective, evidence-based care.
At our core, our team is driven by a deep commitment to our clients and their families. We know that home care can be a difficult and challenging journey, and we are here to provide the support, guidance, and care that our clients need to thrive. Our team members are not only experienced professionals, but also compassionate and caring individuals who are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of our clients.
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