If your loved one has dementia, you may notice certain changes in their behaviour as a result of the illness<\/a>. Taking the time to understand how dementia is impacting your loved one and why they are behaving a certain way can help families and carers to cope.<\/p>\n
Some of the most common behaviours of people suffering from dementia are below.<\/p>\n
Problems with sleeping are common in people with dementia<\/a>. The person may fall out of a normal sleeping routine, they may sleep more during the day, and they may be awake and restless through the night. This can be the result of them no longer being able to differentiate between night and day, or in some cases, the patient can\u2019t be as active as they are used to and need less sleep as a result. Many people with dementia will sleep more as the illness progresses to the later stages.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hoarding belongings for safekeeping is another common behaviour in dementia. There are a number of reasons that people with dementia experience this behaviour. Hoarding can be the result of the dementia patient feeling isolated, alone or neglected. Memories of the past can also trigger hoarding, for example, if the patient lived with siblings who took their possessions when they were younger. Alternatively, hoarding can also be the result of loss, as the your loved one is losing parts of their lives such as their income, memory and even their meaning for being, so they hoard their possessions to cling on to them. Fear of being robbed is another common experience that causes hoarding.<\/p>\n
As a carer, learning the person\u2019s normal hiding places and can help you find missing items quickly. Providing a drawer of odds and ends can help also help to stimulate the person and satisfy their need to be busy. In addition, making sure the person can find their way around can help reduce hoarding, as this can be a trigger for the behaviour.<\/p>\n
People with dementia will often repeatedly say the same thing, or ask the same question<\/a>. They also often become very dependent on the person caring for them and are likely to follow them around, which can be difficult and become irritating for carers.<\/p>\n
Wandering can be very concerning for those who are caring for people with dementia. They may do this for a number of reasons, such as excess energy, a loss of memory, boredom, searching for the past, or confusion. To add to the difficulty of this situation, the person with dementia typically cannot communicate as well as they used to and often can\u2019t explain why they are walking seemingly without purpose; or with their failing memory, they may not even remember why. <\/p>\n
In order to ensure person stays safe, it\u2019s important to have an action plan in place for those occasions when they wander away from home. Remembering the clothes they are wearing can be helpful if you need to find them. You should also get in touch with family members who may know where they\u2019ve gone, neighbours who may have seen them, and the police. It is also useful to ensure the patient is always carrying a form of identification with their address on it. Dementia identity cards<\/a> are available free of charge from Dementia Australia.<\/p>\n
Caring for someone with dementia and their changing behaviours can be frustrating and extremely difficult. The Dementia Live<\/a>\u00ae <\/strong>course is extremely useful for carers as it immerses you in the experience of living with dementia so that you can gain powerful insights for effectively communicating with your loved one. Get in touch with Brain Sparks for more information.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"