Agitation in Dementia–what can you do?
What can you do when the person with dementia that you care for is agitated? In my book Dementia the one stop guide there is a list of possible responses, but the basic underlying principle that will help is if you reduce all those things in the environment that are causing stress.
There are going to be circumstances where the stress placed on the person is unavoidable. If your dad breaks his arm and is taken to hospital, there is pain, and shock, a journey with strangers in an ambulance, the chaos and noise of the emergency department, endless questions, relocation, and movement, probably dehydration and low blood sugar while it is decided if he’s getting surgical intervention…. Everything that could happen to cause distress is there. If it was you with a broken arm, you’d be glad of an ambulance, you’d be relieved by the fact that you were in the right place, and it would all make sense. But not for the old man with dementia. Even the good things are bad. In that emergency, the only thing you can do is stick by his side and make sure that everyone round about knows what cognitive impairment he is living with, and make sure that he knows you are with him.
However, even in normal circumstances the person with dementia will experience stress that affects their behaviour and causes agitation.
So here are some stress busting ideas for using at home.
1. Try to stick to a routine and change as little as possible in the environment to reduce the need to cope with novelty.
2. If something unusual must happen, such as an outpatient appointment or an outing or visit, don’t alert the person too soon or the person will worry about it in advance.
3. Do a noise “audit” of the environment. Sometimes agitation is caused by problems coping with background noise that you, yourself, can screen out when you are listening to conversation.
4. Encourage exercise to create a healthy fatigue so that the person is more relaxed and tired afterwards.
5. Get help from friends, for example a buddy who can give you a break by taking the person out to do some gardening, or golf, or take part in a hobby they have always enjoyed.
Through your local carer’s organisation, you may find a way of giving yourself a break or discovering help in your local area. You can find them through the internet or ask at the Health Centre or social work department. Coping with someone who is agitated at home is exhausting and you need to take care, or you will become ill.
There is more detailed help in the A to Z on this website and in the book Carers and Caring. See the link below.
There is more help for carers of older people in my Carers One Stop Guide
