A guide to understanding Dementia behaviour

Right now Dementia is one of the biggest challenges within the care world and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future, therefore understanding dementia behaviour is vital.

As we take a look at the impact Dementia is having on NZ and the fact that people are living longer lives, it’s predicted that dementia will likely affect every one of us, either directly or our loved ones. Taking this into consideration, here’s some further insights into understanding and better handling dementia as we look into the future of the condition:

Early Warning Signs

The early signs and symptoms of dementia can be subtle and hard to recognize. Many conditions, such as stroke, depression and infections, as well as normal ageing, can cause dementia-like symptoms. It’s also important not to assume any changes are due to dementia.

However an early diagnosis means you, the caregiver can start to understand their needs and accommodate their changes in behaviour as they go through the various phases of the condition.

Communication is key

Communicating with a person with Dementia requires patience, understanding and good listening skills.  As people living with Dementia often feel confused, anxious and unsure of themselves, it is vital to maintain regular interaction to assist with their mental stimulation and to be able to monitor their overall health and well-being.

Setting a positive mood and atmosphere will go along way in conveying your message and getting them to interacte with you.  As studies show that those with Dementia tend to retain their social skills and enjoy a good laugh, so where possible lighten the mood and inject humour into your conversations.

It’s not uncommon for people living with dementia to become easily agitated or upset, often if they’re trying to recall incidents or conversations they simply can’t remember. If this happens, one of the best things you can do is change the subject or environment.  You could suggest going for a walk or ask them to help you out with a small task instead.  Try to stay focused on the feelings they are demonstrating (which are real) and respond with expressions of comfort, support, and reassurance.

Remembering the past is often a soothing and affirming activity for them, often they get reality confused and may recall things that never really occurred, but they tend to remember happenings in their lives 40 years earlier.

Accommodating the behaviour

Due to the way the brain is affected by dementia, some of the biggest challenges of caring for a loved one with dementia are the personality and behavior changes that often occur.  It is best to address these challenges by using creativity, patience, flexibility, compassion and most of all your sense of humour.

It is important to remember, it is best to try to accommodate the behaviour rather than control the behaviour.  For example if a person insists on sleeping on the floor, find a place on the floor where they can put a mattress and try to make it as comfortable as possible for them.

The frequent personality and behaviour changes can also mean that what solutions may have worked today, may not necessarily work tomorrow.  Where possible, make sure you’re continuing to communicate well with each other and be flexible and patient at all times.

The future of dementia

Dementia is one of New Zealand’s most growing and significant healthcare challenges, with an estimated 60,000 residents with dementia and that number is expected to almost triple by 2050.  Furthermore, the estimated financial cost of dementia on the health system in New Zealand in 2011 was at $954.8 million. *

Results from a survey in 2014 showed dementia also has a significant impact on the family and friends with the condition, indicating that 2 out of every 3 New Zealanders knows or has known someone with dementia.

In conclusion to effectively manage the condition from the early warning signs through to the various stages of dementia we can look at ways to better prevent, earlier diagnosis and improved caregiver support.  However, these solutions aren’t a quick fix to the condition and it will take a more overall awareness and collaborative working across multiple sectors into the future.

We hope you’ve found this post helpful.  For more information or to discuss any of the details further, please feel free to contact us on 0800 663 272 or enquiries@archercare.co.nz