Controlling Alzheimers Behaviors in your Home can be Very Difficult
A common Alzheimers behavior problem is what we in the medical field call sun-downing. For some reason the early evening hours are when many people seem to get more confused. Some people will also rummage through things or hide things, but the hardest behavior problem for most family members is the agitation and aggression that happens to many people with this disease.
You may see an increase in the behaviors when there is to much stimulus. There may be to many people around, the television, or music may be to loud. Be careful asking to many questions. They tend to become agitated easy because they don't know the answer and it is very frustrating to them. Frustration can lead to behaviors. Some people may have a couple of the behaviors and others will have every behavior. You will need to learn what triggers the behaviors and how to control them. An example would be, some people will start to pace or repeatedly or pull at their clothing when they need to use the bathroom.
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Alzheimers behaviors begin to surface in the middle stage. This can be very disturbing to family members. Their personality can change. I have seen quiet passive people become very loud and aggressive. They may also become paranoid and suspicious. Some people even have hallucinations. Repetitive movements may surface, such as pacing or touching a certain object over and over. Inappropriate sexual behaviors may also be exhibited in this stage.
There are several things that can lead to behavior problems. Fatigue is one of the most common contributors. Try to keep them from getting overly tired. A routine really will make your life easier. Some people with Alzheimer's Disease really have a problem with change, which will result in an increase in behaviors. Especially changes which affect their routine. If you are going to have a new caregiver, you should ease them into the picture slowly. Give your family member time to adjust to the change.
