Cognitive function in seniors generally worsens as dementia progresses. When this happens, your aging loved one may become angry and exhibit aggressive behavior, including verbal outbursts and physical threats. Below are some of the most common factors associated with anger in seniors with dementia along with calming techniques to use when addressing those issues.
Confusion
Your loved one may become angry due to difficulty identifying important individuals, objects, and misplaced items. The aggressive outbursts may become more common as the confusion worsens.
To ease the situation, use calming strategies when communicating, such as speaking in shorter sentences or using visual aids like photographs. Never remind your loved one of forgotten memories. The top priority is to boost your loved one’s confidence and provide reassurance.
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Environmental Factors
Physical pain resulting from hunger, lack of sleep, or discomfort when sitting or standing may cause negative reactions in a senior with dementia. Side effects from medications could also be an issue, or frustration can result from the inability to complete a simple task your loved one has taken on many times in the past.
Your loved one may have difficulty controlling negative impulses due to emotional and physical reactions triggered by these environmental factors. However, you can calm your loved one down by offering snacks to ease feelings of hunger or making the room more soothing if they need to take a nap. It’s also a good idea to discuss possible medication changes with your loved one’s doctor to make your loved one more comfortable.
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Delusions
Hallucinations could cause your loved one to react with negative behavior, such as yelling or throwing objects. These delusional effects can be due to unreal perceptions that appear in your loved one’s mind or visual hallucinations that lead to fear. When left unresolved, these hallucinations frequently result in anger and aggressive actions.
When communicating with your loved one, always maintain a calm and comforting demeanor, and avoid confrontations or arguments. Refrain from questioning their recent memories. Instead, reassure your loved one and offer a distraction, such as moving to another room to make them feel safe and secure. Lower the volume on the television or turn it off completely so your loved one doesn’t mistake it for actions within the room.
Lack of Socialization
When your loved one is no longer able to engage with others in the same way, it could provoke anger, causing them to lash out, make inappropriate comments, throw objects, or hit others. To address these problems, find ways for your loved one to interact with others more, whether it’s with you and your siblings, grandchildren, friends, and other family members or older adults going through similar circumstances. The objective is to find individuals who understand what your loved one is experiencing so they can react normally, as opposed to making them feel strange or incoherent.
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