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All of us are capable of love and happiness on our own terms. Those terms may change with time and ability, but the capability remains. This is especially true with our loved ones living with dementia.  

While the terms may change from the early to late stages of dementia (and with different types of Alzheimer’s and dementia), a dear and loving soul remains within our loved ones. Even when memory fades and the ability to speak is lost, it is still important to honor their humanity and, just as importantly, their inner soul.

You can do so by communicating well and focusing on your loved one’s strengths. (Remember: focusing on what they can do rather than what they can’t empowers them for a life worth living for many years into a diagnosis.)

How to Honor the ‘Inner Soul’ of Persons Living with Dementia

As you may well know (or will soon experience), that “inner soul” may seem nowhere to be found as your loved one’s dementia grows progressively worse. As we’ve often said, dementia is a thief. And it’s almost always more than memory loss alone. From aggression to hallucinations to wandering, common Alzheimer’s and dementia behaviors and symptoms can make you feel as if they’re no longer the same person anymore.

But make no mistake, your loved one is in there somewhere — craving love, attention and understanding just like anyone else. Here are some helpful things to consider. 

1. Communication is Important

Communication is the most obvious (and essential) way people connect. Dementia doesn’t change this. You may think your loved one has lost the ability to communicate, but trust me, they still have plenty to say. We just have to pay attention to both the verbal and non-verbal ways  they like to connect.  

Verbal Communication

Carrying on a spoken conversation may not be too problematic during the early to mid-stages of dementia. We can connect to our loved one by the words we say and by truly hearing the words they say to us. 

It’s important that you continue to speak to your loved one with love, even as their ability to communicate verbally declines. Don’t talk down to them or use baby talk. They are adults that deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. 

Speak clearly and in a friendly and calm way. Keep the conversation simple and limited to one topic at a time. Make sure you really listen to what your loved one is saying to you. Don’t dismiss or correct what they say.

Listening well can help you assess where (and when) your loved one is at mentally. Your mother may be a former teacher who tells stories (sometimes repetitively) about what happened in her classroom as it just happened earlier that day. Listen to her stories with just as much interest and enthusiasm as back in the day. Connect with her current reality — because it is her reality.

Non-Verbal Communication

Verbal communication may disappear as dementia progresses. This doesn’t mean your loved one is done communicating, though.  

Watch their eyes and facial expressions, as well as the gestures and sounds they make. These will give you a variety of clues as to what they want to tell you. A grimace while eating may mean the food is too hot. A gesture out a window could indicate they want to take a walk.

Also, just because your loved one living with dementia can’t speak to you doesn’t mean you shouldn’t speak to them. Continue to talk as you normally would. Tell stories. Share memories. Watch for non-verbal cues so you can tell if you are connecting to the soul of your loved one. 

2. Amplify Their Strengths

It may be easy for us to focus on the things dementia has taken away, but as my life partner/care partner, Brian, always says, “I have Alzheimer’s, but Alzheimer’s doesn’t have me.” Your loved one still has strengths on which to focus, regardless of the common regressions with time.    

Long-Term Memory 

Your loved one has a long-term memory bank with a treasure trove of stories. Encourage them to tell a story about their childhood. Ask them about their career or what it was like to raise their children. Bring out the family photo album to help jog their memory. 

Appeal to the Senses

Familiar sounds, smells and touches can help people to connect deeply. The laughter of children can remind a loved one of when their children were young. The smell of a certain cologne or perfume can bring up memories of a spouse. The feel of yarn can remind a knitter of their favorite hobby. 

Music

Music lives deep within many of us. A certain song can trigger memories from years past. In fact, studies show music can provide numerous emotional and behavioral benefits to persons living with dementia.

Play your loved-one’s favorite music. Even those in the late stages of dementia connect to music. It speaks to their soul and can arouse a variety of emotions and expressions. (It’s even been shown to temporarily restore speaking abilities for non-verbal individuals.) 

Spirituality

For many of us, spiritual practices become part of who we are. Religious practices, regardless of faith or denomination, become hardwired in our souls and can be recalled by people in even advanced stages of dementia. 

Reading scripture, reciting prayers and singing spiritual songs can invigorate the spirit of our loved ones living with dementia. A long-time Christian with advanced dementia may flash a smile at Psalm 23, try to pray the Lord’s Prayer with you, or even tear up at the hymn “The Old Rugged Cross.”

3. Be Creative

Your loved one will continue to need love and connection as dementia progresses. Don’t be afraid to be creative in how you connect with them. Think outside the box. Experiment with stimuli that may jog their memory or evoke a positive emotional response. Even putting up some old pictures around the home or in their room may be more meaningful than words could express. 

Are You Ready for a Deeper Connection with a Loved One Living with Dementia?

Do you want to make sure you are connecting to the inner soul of a loved one with dementia? Caregiver Support and Resources, LLC, can help you foster relationships when having an emotional impact seems most difficult.  

We have over 25 years of experience with all aspects of life-care planning and can help you and your loved one build a plan that honors everyone’s wishes and needs. We’re happy to provide referrals and guide the process in a caring and compassionate way.

We develop skills in reasoning and judgment our whole lives. In most healthy individuals, the brain becomes a powerful decision-making machine from our toddler years when we first learn not to touch a hot stove, to our teenage years when we learn how to drive in traffic, to our adult years when we learn to make sound personal and financial decisions.

But Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia take it back. Dementia is a thief. It steals what we knew, what we learned over the years, the cognitive skills we take for granted. This common Alzheimer’s and dementia symptom mirrors what some may consider “normal” losses in reasoning and judgment associated with aging.

Yes, that’s true. But you may have noticed reasoning and judgment regressions are much worse in your loved one living with dementia. As care partners, we’d love to foster a free and independent environment as long as possible. But it often gets to the point where they require 24/7 assistance to avoid hazardous outcomes.

Understanding Poor Reasoning & Judgment Among Common Alzheimer’s and Dementia Symptoms

As with any of the common Alzheimer’s and dementia behaviors and symptoms we’ve been covering in recent months, care partners must understand what’s happening inside their loved one’s brain to offer proactive solutions.

Dangerous Situations

Let’s say your sister has always been a great driver. Her awareness behind the wheel — speed limits, traffic signs and other rules of the road — was a well-developed life skill. Maybe she never even had a ticket.

Then something scary happens. Early in her dementia diagnosis, she still has her driver’s license and enjoys the freedom to come and go as she pleases. But she pulls out into traffic and gets T-boned by another car. She’s OK (and insurance will cover the damage), but even she’s unsure what happened. She swears she remembers who had the right-of-way and other traffic rules at that intersection. Her reasoning and judgment may be slipping regarding timing and awareness in unsafe scenarios.

What else could’ve gone wrong? Dementia is more than memory loss. Changes in vision and perception are very common in many persons living with dementia. The oncoming vehicle may have appeared farther away than it was. It may have been difficult for your sister to judge its speed to time a safe merger. Perhaps the color of the other vehicle was difficult to see in a certain lighting condition. A random blur or diminishing sightline could obstruct her peripheral vision.

While driving is one of the most dangerous daily activities, many others can be just as dangerous as one becomes spatially disoriented due to dementia. Imagine walking around a pool deck and not being able to tell if the edge is 8 inches or 8 feet away. A shaded area on a walking trail could blur your loved one’s vision and cause a misstep down a steep embankment. 

Care partners must remember their loved one may no longer perceive the visual world as it truly is.

Personality Traits

Now, let’s say your nephew is the kindest, most genuine soul you know. He speaks the truth. He takes time to be considerate — and keeps quiet if he has nothing nice to say. 

Loved ones may act out of character with Alzheimer’s and certain types and stages of dementia. Where they were once quiet and reserved, they could become boisterous and opinionated. Where they were once considerate and kind, they could become selfish and abrasive. Where they were once cautious and alert, they could become careless and inattentive.

That’s impaired reasoning and judgment. We most often see poor decision-making and impulsive (even childish and inappropriate) behavior in conditions like frontotemporal dementia, which affects the part of the brain that governs personality. It could have harsh consequences for personal relationships and day-to-day decisions. A loved one may act rudely to a close family member or friend. They may also make ill-advised financial decisions.

Have compassion and be aware. They don’t know any better — and that’s not their fault.

Action and Consequence

Eventually, regressions in reasoning and judgment in later stages of Alzheimer’s and dementia often require 24/7 monitoring. Losing a lifetime of memories and cognitive behaviors drops people back in their youngest years. Of course, that’s well before they learned through experience that touching a hot stove would burn; before they could reason for themselves that not paying attention by stairs could cause a painful fall.

In these stages, your loved one is likely unaware of action-and-consequence, cause-and-effect relationships. The logical conclusion, “If I touch this knife, it will cut me,” no longer springs to mind. Attention spans may last seconds, at most.

Some may consider the final stages to be a state of “childlike dependence.” Person-centered care avoids such degrading language. Despite their diminished capacities, they’re still an adult entitled to dignity and love.  

Changes in Reasoning & Judgment with Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Studies show reasoning and judgment are “intimately linked” to problem solving and decision making. Unfortunately, those capacities become greatly diminished as Alzheimer’s and dementia progress. Care partners must plan for when routine activities become not-so-routine — and even dangerous.

#WeAreDementiaStrong. If you need help, Caregiver Support and Resources, LLC has over 25 years of experience with all aspects of life-care planning including dementia care. We’re happy to guide the process in a caring and compassionate way.

You hear your brother in the kitchen, fumbling around with some car keys. “Shoot, he found them,” you whisper to yourself as you try to intervene. His doctor estimates he’s in the middle stages of mixed dementia, and everyone on the care-partner team (your brother included) agreed several years ago it would no longer be safe for him to drive.

But in recent months, he’s taken on some suspected manipulation tactics — common among Alzheimer’s and dementia behaviors. “But you said I could drive to the store if I finished the dishes,” he sometimes says, or, “But we agreed it would be OK to drive to the beach.” Was there an agreement? Probably not. Were dishes, the beach or any other variable part of the equation? Not likely. Does he remember it would be unsafe to drive? Maybe or maybe not.

For loved ones with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia, manipulation can be a frequent behavior for a variety of reasons ranging from bargaining for things they want to legitimate confusion. As with any of these behaviors we’ve been writing about recently, it’s helpful to understand the states of mind behind them to address sensible and meaningful solutions. (And a word of caution: It’s regrettably common for care partners of persons living with dementia to be manipulative for things they want, as well. So this conversation requires some serious, two-way honesty.)

Understanding Manipulation as a Common Alzheimer’s and Dementia Behavior

As we’ve often said on this blog and elsewhere: Dementia is so much more than memory loss alone. While memory loss may indeed be a root cause of confusion around whether an activity is safe or reasonable, many other factors could cause actions or statements to appear or sound manipulative.  

Here’s a more detailed understanding:

Filling the Gaps 

Your loved one goes for the keys or tries to explain why she’s wandering in the yard. “You told me I could go to X, Y or Z” or “I wanted to see the neighbor’s flowers” might be some likely responses. Perhaps they’re confused or disoriented, thinking they’re heading to a former workplace. Or maybe they’re uncomfortable and aggravated, trying to find “home” even if they’re already at home.

They may rely on some fibbing, when asked, to fill in the gaps in memory or to reach for a reason they can’t express.  

Bargaining Chips

Living with advancing stages of dementia doesn’t mean living without needs and desires. An individual may simply be incapable of expressing or acting accordingly to achieve them. A loved one may understandably want a taste of freedom — to drive off and watch a sunset, visit an old friend, pick up a bottle of wine, anything  “normal” that was once routine.

They may resort to slight dishonesty, bargaining to get what they want. “If I did X, you said I could do Y or Z.” Of course, there was no agreement, but in their mind a this-for-that transaction works logically and fairly. Some who are still relatively cognizant may even bend or distort reality. Some may feign confusion, taking advantage of their own condition to earn sympathy points. “Since when do I need permission to withdraw from my bank account?” they may say, knowing full well a relative with power of attorney set up precautions against poor financial decisions.

Type of Dementia

Different types of dementia affect different areas of the brain, well, differently. Frontotemporal dementia, for instance, damages the frontal lobe, which governs self control and good judgment. Vascular dementia from brain tissue damaged by blood loss (i.e., stroke, heart disease, vascular disease) may cause impaired concentration and memory loss.  

Thus, vastly different behaviors may result from specific styles and areas of deterioration.  

Stage of Dementia

In an early stage of dementia, your loved one may not experience any negative personality effects at all. They’ll be cooperative and supportive of their care-partner team. They’ll almost certainly show respect and appreciation for the immense responsibility and sacrifice the journey will bring.  

With time, sometimes even a few short years, they’ll likely grow increasingly confused and even combative, at which point manipulation may become a personality trait beyond control.

Personal Characteristics

A loved one “just isn’t the same person anymore.” I hear that from clients so often. But I always assure them their loved one’s soul still lives in there, but their mind is just transitioning through a different stage. That said, they’re not wrong. Alzheimer’s and/or other dementias can arouse new characteristics and amplify old traits. 

Dishonesty and manipulation may be out of character for someone who lived by a strict moral code. Perhaps they are a genuinely caring person who always spoke the truth and served others before themselves. Likewise, someone with a gruff and self-centered nature could grow worse with time.

Caregiver Manipulation of Loved Ones with Alzheimer’s and Dementia

This section requires some honesty. Admittedly, caregivers (or care partners, as we prefer to call them) sometimes use dishonest tactics for goals that may or may not be so helpful. Caring for persons living with dementia can be a long and complicated dance. Despite our best efforts, we may step on some toes learning the steps.

A range of possible scenarios can occur daily, requiring careful consideration of another’s dignity, feelings, wishes and best interests. The line may be fuzzy between what’s appropriate and what’s necessary when one may no longer think or execute decisions for themselves. 

‘Therapeutic Fibbing’

As dementia progresses, managing routine tasks like eating, bathing and taking medications can become very difficult. Your loved one may refuse beneficial tasks. They may become argumentative, combative and even aggressive. Care partners sometimes resort to “therapeutic fibbing” to avoid confrontation or ease the process.

But is it lying to withhold information or distort the truth? If a loved one takes a pill or eats a meal, do the ends justify the means? Is it deceptive to withhold an upcoming doctor appointment to avoid many repeated questions and anxiety? Sometimes the daily tightrope between right and wrong is so thin and wobbly, it’s hard to make the distinction.

Honoring the Trust Bestowed 

Somewhere in the process, your loved one trusted and chose you to serve a primary role in the care-partner team. Somewhere around receiving a dementia diagnosis — maybe even when first they noticed subtle changes in memory and cognition — you worked together to set a plan in motion. This plan likely involves many progressive steps maintaining independence and dignity as long as possible.

Your loved one picked you knowing you’d be responsible for making very difficult decisions and fighting daily battles. Entering the mid- and final (terminal) stages, they may not be able to remember or express their appreciation, but your responsibilities for care, comfort and strong judgment in tough situations live on. 

The Test: Who Benefits Most?

So in situations that may require stretching the truth or withholding information, a good care partner must assess reality. Who benefits? Are you not bringing up an upcoming doctor appointment because your loved one’s questions and anxiety will be tougher for you or them? Are you trying to get them to eat, bathe, take a medication that will help you or them? Should they have the ability and opportunity to decide? Do they still have the capacity?

Manipulation: The Alzheimer’s and Dementia Behavior that Goes Both Ways

#WeAreDementiaStrong. If you need help, Caregiver Support and Resources, LLC has over 25 years of experience with all aspects of life-care planning including dementia care. We’re happy to guide the process in a caring and compassionate way.

Your husband’s out in the living room watching TV, and you’re busy pushing through your chore checklist. In his advancing stages of dementia, it’s been increasingly necessary for you to plan and perform daily tasks. You’re about to put away his laundry and you stumble across one of the most common Alzheimer’s and dementia behaviors: collecting and hiding objects.

You’re taken aback as you open his top dresser drawer. You count no fewer than a dozen forks. “So that’s where those went,” you say to yourself, poking through some clothes to also find a moldy, half-eaten PB&J sandwich. As if his ever-growing stack of newspapers weren’t enough, it seems your hubby has actually begun stashing things away — for reasons that aren’t exactly clear.

Like any other behavior associated with Alzheimer’s disease and/or other types of dementia, it’s often helpful to understand the underlying reason(s) to begin planning and enacting solutions.  

Collecting & Hiding Objects Among Alzheimer’s and Dementia Behaviors

So let’s discuss a few of the most common reasons for hiding away objects. Some would go so far as to refer to severe cases as “hoarding,” but emphasis on person-focused care language in recent years has us steer clear of such negative connotations. It’s a common Alzheimer’s and dementia behavior — and, yes, it can be problematic or even sometimes dangerous — but it’s more helpful to first assess the “why” to develop the most positive and proactive plan possible moving forward.    

1. Collection Hobbies

Many people develop and nurture hobbies throughout their adult lives. It’s quite enriching and fulfilling to find something all your own. Did your loved one have a collection hobby earlier in life? Perhaps they collected stamps from around the world, Little League championship pins, or celebrity cookbooks.

As many forms of dementia progress, these activities may become lost to memory, yet the itch remains to gather things for their enjoyment. Especially in middle-to-late stages, when losses in memory and cognition become most severe, your loved one’s collecting habit may lack logical reasoning. (Who would want a dresser drawer full of forks?) But always remember, it makes sense (in whatever way) for the person living with dementia. 

2. Previous Occupations

On a similar note, long-engrained activities and habits gained during years in the workforce may sneak into your loved one’s collection habits. Perhaps you notice they have an inordinate amount of pens and pencils stashed in a nightstand, purse or briefcase. Might a longtime desk job compel them to seek office supplies for use later? Maybe they’re gathering cooking utensils, sugar packets, or salt and pepper shakers? Might they have worked in a restaurant or school cafeteria earlier in life?

Again, persons living with dementia may not even realize they’re doing it. But the activity makes sense for whatever “work tasks” they feel upcoming. 

3. Forgetfulness & Confusion

OK, admittedly, we often say that dementia is so much more than memory loss alone. That’s true. But memory loss is at the heart of most dementia diagnoses.

Your loved one may take objects around the home (or from elsewhere) and place them somewhere, only to forget they had them in the first place. Or while picking up a common household item in a state of confusion, they may lose track of its rightful place. So you may find a bath towel stuffed under a couch cushion or a television remote in a medicine cabinet. 

4. Delusions, Hallucinations & Paranoia

Many persons living with dementia experience wild hallucinations and delusions as the neurons in their brains disconnect and malfunction increasingly with time. They see people and things that aren’t there — sometimes manifestations of their worst fears or bad experiences.  

Paranoia tends to increase as an individual no longer recognizes the people around them — whether they be medical professionals in an assisted-living facility or even their own family and friends. Your loved one may distrust anyone around them, believing that “strangers” would steal their “valuables” or prevent them from eating meals. This self-preservation instinct may explain why you would find spoiled food hidden away and forgotten in a drawer or under their bed.

Uncovering Reasons Behind Alzheimer’s and Dementia Behaviors Like Collecting & Hiding Objects

The effects of dementia disorders may seem unpredictable and haphazard. As my life partner/care partner Brian (who lives with Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia) and I often say, “If you know one person with dementia, you know one person with dementia.” Indeed, symptoms and behaviors often vary greatly among persons living with dementia, even those with similar diagnoses.  

But no matter your loved one’s Alzheimer’s- or dementia-related behaviors, it’s helpful to understand the reasons behind them. Care-partner teams must develop a plan to control the loss of items and mitigate “hoarding risks” like fire and health hazards. To do so, you must understand and appreciate your loved one’s present and past experiences.  

#WeAreDementiaStrong. If you need help, Caregiver Support and Resources, LLC has over 25 years of experience with all aspects of life-care planning including dementia care. We’re happy to provide referrals and guide the process in a caring and compassionate way.

Your husband sits at the kitchen table, thumbing through an old golf magazine for the umpteenth time. It’s about noon. You’ve prepared a nice, little lunch for him — just his favorite soup and sandwich. He looks it over, but 20 minutes later the soup is cold and he hasn’t even touched his sandwich.  

You knew his dementia would likely cause appetite loss. After all, eating difficulties and weight loss are common for most people in advancing stages of dementia. But you didn’t expect it to affect your husband — who is in an earlier stage and still relatively cognizant — so soon.  

Appetite loss can span all stages of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. If this sounds familiar, you and your loved one are experiencing one of the most common Alzheimer’s and dementia behaviors.

7 Reasons for Appetite Loss with Alzheimer’s and Other Types of Dementia

In order to address appetite loss (and related weight loss and physical weakness), you must first understand the reasons behind it. Here are a few:

1. Depression

Your loved one’s appetite loss could likely stem from depression. Persons living with dementia experience depression, especially in early and middle stages.  

Put yourself in their shoes. They’ve likely received a relatively recent diagnosis — perhaps just a few short months or years ago. Even if they expected it, due to genetics, they may feel powerful emotions like sadness, hopelessness, disinterest and fear associated with anticipating the worst effects and mortality of their condition. 

And then in advancing stages, depression may progress from an emotional condition to a neurological one. The areas of the brain associated with moderating mood may no longer function properly.

2. Confusion & Disorientation

A healthy person with an equally healthy appetite will sit down to a meal and know what to do. Grab the fork. Stab the slice of cucumber. Twirl the spaghetti. Cut the meat. Put it in your mouth. Take a drink. Repeat. 

Your loved one, especially in the mid-to-late stages of dementia, may gradually forget the process of eating. They may miss a step or tool to complete the job, which most of us take for granted as the easiest of human tasks. It’s easy to be discouraged with eating and lose interest altogether. (Imagine looking at your salad and having to decide between a spoon and a fork or forgetting steps from getting the soup in your spoon, lifting it to your mouth and swallowing.) Confused and disoriented with time and space, some may wonder why they’re eating dinner in what they think is the morning or why they’re eating a second lunch. 

Persons living with dementia may have a short attention span, allowing them to concentrate on a task like eating for only a few seconds. (Helpful hint: Allow plenty of time for your loved one to eat to account for distractions.)

3. Changes in Vision and Perception

Here’s a reason for appetite loss with dementia that often goes overlooked. Many types of dementia can affect vision and perception. It can be difficult for your loved one to see their food well enough to eat it. But this goes beyond getting new glasses.

With dementia, neurons responsible for transmitting sight signals to the brain and coordinating muscular response may misfire or fail to work entirely. Similarly, the inability for some to perceive depth, distance and color may also make it difficult to see the food or drink. (Try using plates or bowls that differ in color from the food or manually placing food/drinks in their hands or mouth, when necessary.)

4. Communication Issues

Inevitably, communication issues arise for most people with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. This may mean your loved one will have difficulty expressing thoughts about mealtimes with their care partner(s). While they may be able to communicate in other ways in advancing stages (eye movement, facial expressions, grunts, body language, etc.), it’s often hard for a person living with dementia to convey preferences about food and drink an otherwise healthy person would easily be able to express, like:

• Too hot or cold
• Displeasure with taste
• Overcooked or undercooked
• Too chewy, hard or soft

As hard as it may be for your loved one to communicate, it’s often equally difficult for their care partner(s) to perceive and comprehend the communication that does take place. 

5. Physical Limitations, Discomfort & Pain

Eating may be uncomfortable or even painful. Perhaps your loved one has a cavity or jaw pain that makes it hard to chew. Some simply don’t have the energy to gnaw through a big bite or steak or chicken anymore. Also changes in brain function as stages progress can slow or stop the natural chewing-and-swallowing reflexes, creating serious risks for choking. 

Changing the consistency of food and drinks is a tried-and-true solution. Some may require only that their more solid food items be cut down to smaller, bite-sized pieces. Foods also may be chopped, pureed or liquified to eliminate the need for chewing. Drinks may be served in different thicknesses (nectar thick, honey thick, etc.) to alleviate swallowing issues.

6. Medication

Prescription medications, specifically those for dementia treatment, may have a marked effect on appetite and weight loss. A recent study showed nearly 30 percent of dementia patients taking medications including cholinesterase inhibitors experienced “significant” weight loss (at least 10 pounds over a year) as a direct result. Side effects included appetite loss and various gastrointestinal conditions.

Unfortunately, that’s the catch 22. Do you treat the dementia and risk weight loss? Or do you forgo the treatment so your loved one may eat, only to lose them more quickly to the dementia? Consult their primary care physician for options that may improve appetite.  

7. Little to No Physical Activity

Food is fuel for the body’s activities — physical, mental and emotional. Even without strenuous physical activity, the body requires a minimum daily caloric intake just to energize activities we don’t even think about (brain function, breathing, heartbeat, etc.). But if there’s little to no physical activity happening on top of that, the body will gradually slow eating to eliminate the excess.

If possible, exercise (even a brief daily walk) may stir your loved one’s body to seek supporting nutrition.

The Reasons for Appetite Loss with Alzheimer’s and Other Types of Dementia

For many, appetite loss signals “the beginning of the end” for a loved one living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. When a body no longer desires, needs or even refuses sustenance, it begins a sometimes lengthy — and debilitating — process of shutting down. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Extra effort to understand the reasons and plan accordingly can add many valuable years to a life worth living.

#WeAreDementiaStrong. If you need help, Caregiver Support and Resources, LLC has over 25 years of experience with all aspects of life-care planning including dementia care. We’re happy to provide referrals and guide the process in a caring and compassionate way.

Before I met my life partner/care partner, Brian LeBlanc, he lived alone. He had recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and the sleep disturbances were already growing more frequent and severe.

He was scared.

It wasn’t just difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. At times, vivid dreams and hallucinations before going to bed or upon waking would frighten him. Even healthy individuals who may have frequent night terrors can attest to the sheer aggravation of losing sleep to machinations of the unconscious mind.

Sleep Issues Commonly Associated with Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Sleep issues are among the most common Alzheimer’s and dementia behaviors, with up to 50 percent of those diagnosed experiencing sleep disturbances severe enough to affect quality of life. I believe, however, the total number of those affected would actually be much greater than what’s reported. The numerous types of sleep issues grow more severe in advancing stages of dementia, when our loved ones may no longer be able to express what’s ailing them.

While sleep issues aren’t so much a “behavior” as an “effect” of dementia, it’s important to note them because they often become behaviors as the stages progress. Here are some of the most commonly noted issues:

Sundowning

Sundowning is perhaps the most commonly attributed sleep issue associated with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. The part of the brain responsible for natural circadian rhythm (getting tired and preparing to sleep around sunset) may no longer work effectively, even in early dementia stages. 

The body is tired. The brain is tired. They want to sleep. But they can’t. So what results? Increased confusion, agitation, anxiety and disorientation. Persons living with dementia who experience sundowning are essentially unable to settle into a comfortable evening routine. While healthy individuals may change into pajamas, relax in a comfy recliner, read a book, watch a little TV and prepare for bed, those with dementia may be too aggravated and wired to allow their bodies to wind down. 

Negative behaviors — from becoming argumentative to physically aggressive — tend to increase in the evening hours with sundowning.

Excessive Day Sleeping

Coinciding with a distressed circadian rhythm, your loved one may spend more time sleeping during the day. When the internal clock is out of whack, sleep can come at the most unusual times (not that there’s anything wrong with a quick afternoon nap). 

But common Alzheimer’s and dementia behaviors like day sleeping can become concerning when your loved one spends most of the day in bed. They may also nap frequently, dozing on and off throughout the day on a chair or couch.

Hallucinations, Vivid Dreams & Night Terrors

All the creepy creatures in the closet and under the bed come out at night. And, no, this isn’t just some child’s bedtime terror. It’s 100 percent real — at least in the minds of persons living with dementia. Individuals with dementia may experience some of the most vivid hallucinations and dreams that would keep anyone up nights. 

Persons living with dementia are prone to visual and auditory misperceptions, especially at night when darkness, shadows and white noise stand out most dramatically. A shadow can easily look like a burglar or monster. A garbage truck down the street could sound like an invading army. Some more detailed hallucinations and terrors include seeing people from the past and even some of the individual’s greatest fears.

I briefly mentioned Brian’s experiences with sleep disturbances associated with Alzheimer’s and dementia. I shudder to think what he experienced before meeting me, because after coming together (and his additional vascular dementia diagnosis) his hallucinations have grown more intense.

Night Wandering

Restlessness sets in, and your loved one just can’t stay in bed. Perhaps they have a condition unrelated to dementia — like restless leg syndrome or acid-reflux disease — that makes lying down very uncomfortable. Even in otherwise healthy people, getting up and walking around may be the only way to soothe the nerves.

Now, add dementia to the mix, when any combination of issues may cause your loved one to be uncomfortable and disoriented with time and space. Wandering could be a concern at any time of day, but especially nighttime when confusion and discomfort are most pronounced. You may notice your loved one simply walks around the house. Perhaps they make repetitive trips to the refrigerator or bathroom, or their evening sojourns may seem aimless. Your loved one may require additional monitoring or assistance in the evening hours to prevent falls or getting lost.

Interrupted Sleep Stages

Eventually your loved one with dementia will fall asleep. But the quality of their sleep may be spotty. That’s because the brain’s wiring that governs sleep stages may no longer function properly. Obviously, the goal is to advance through light and heavy sleep to achieve REM sleep (the dream stage) for a complete, restful and rejuvenating sleep.

Your loved one may skip stages or wake up at inopportune times, causing difficulty completing the full sleep cycle. Without each stage, they may wake tired and even more disoriented or upset the next day. 

Sleep Issues are Common Symptoms of Alzheimer’s and Other Types of Dementia

You may feel helpless to help your loved one’s sleep disturbances associated with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. Discuss options with their neurologist, primary care physician and other members of the care-partner team. Prescription sleep medications may be effective — if they do not interact with various other meds your loved one may take. You may need assistance from other care partners to plan and monitor their evening hours.

#WeAreDementiaStrong. If you need help, Caregiver Support and Resources, LLC has over 25 years of experience with all aspects of life-care planning including dementia care. We’re happy to provide referrals and guide the process in a caring and compassionate way.

The hymns are unfamiliar. The scripture is being read from an unfamiliar translation. The pastor’s sermon is long and hard to follow. 

This can be a jarring experience for many people. For those with dementia it can add to a sense of isolation they may already feel. A place of worship — no matter the faith or denomination — should not be a place of isolation. It is a community where people can experience a Heavenly Spirit who cares about them and where they know they are not alone. It is a place where people can be reminded that they were created in God’s image and that they are loved.

Churches, synagogues, mosques, nursing home chapels (or even your own living room, if that’s your style) can team up with persons living with dementia and their care partners to create a welcome environment and prepare a dementia-friendly worship service.  

Some Things to Consider in Building a Dementia-Friendly Worship Service 

Dementia-friendly houses of worship can make needed adjustments to ensure people with dementia are able to participate in worship in ways that are meaningful to them. 

Bring Everyone to the Table 

Don’t guess about what changes can make worship more dementia friendly. General changes will not do as not everyone experiences dementia in the same way. (As Brian and I always say, if you know one person with dementia, you know one person with dementia.) Invite those with dementia, their families and friends, and care partners to meet with those planning worship. Get to know the specific needs of your parishioners and come to solutions together.  

Familiarity is Important

People with dementia often connect with things from their past. A common prayer and familiar hymns (music for dementia is a powerful memory-care tool) can go a long way in nourishing their faith. Consider reading prayers like the Lord’s Prayer or Muslim Call to Prayer with traditional wording. Perhaps there is a canonical translation that is more familiar, like the King James Version, the New International Version or the New Revised Standard Version.

Don’t underestimate the power of music. Music has the ability to reach parts of the brain where other means of communication fail. Consider familiar hymns like “The Old Rugged Cross,” “Amazing Grace” or “To God’s Ear” (for our friends of the Jewish faith). Be sure to ask about favorite hymns and even play some audio of the hymns while you are making a list to jog their memory. 

Keep It Short and Simple 

A service for people with dementia should be short — perhaps 20 to 30 minutes. This helps keep them engaged and helps with issues of concentration. A simple and clear structure works best. The service should include a clear beginning with a welcome, a couple of familiar hymns, prayers, scripture readings and a short message. 

Consider using an order of service and keeping the same structure week to week. Keep prayers short and simple, and be sure to pray for people with dementia and their care partners. You could also consider including this at the beginning of your regular service, after which those with dementia could leave for a time of fellowship, if they wish, and the rest of the service could continue. This would allow those with dementia and the care partners to worship with or without the rest of the congregation or gathering.

Encourage Participation 

Worship that connects to the senses can encourage persons with dementia to more fully participate. Candles, crosses, Communion elements, Holy books, and the baptismal font are all powerful visuals in a church so make them prominent. Allow their creative side to shine through music and painting. 

Ask them to write or deliver a prayer, or even share their story with the congregation. Include them in your greeting team or as help in your after-service fellowship gathering. Be open to the gifts that people with dementia have to give.

Create a Care Team 

A pastoral care team would be a great asset to people with dementia and their care partners. Invite a small group to be trained in assisting those with dementia. Be sure they are easily identified with a name tag or t-shirt. Care team members can assist those with dementia and their caregivers if help is needed. 

It may be helpful to have a quiet place where someone with dementia can go if they feel overwhelmed — perhaps just into a separate room to “cool down” or in a fellowship hall for a cup of coffee. Pastoral care teams members could assist in this. 

Learn From Others 

There’s a lot to learn in creating dementia-friendly worship. Connect with worship groups who already minister to people with dementia and their care partners. Speak with health care professionals and others who work with them. Have them attend your services and give constructive feedback. You may not be perfect at first at ministering to people with dementia, but it’s good to start somewhere. 

Are You Ready to Host a Dementia-Friendly Worship Service?

Dementia-friendly worship just only takes some thought and consideration. A loved one of any faith, regardless of their current stage of dementia, still has a longing to be close with their Lord. Their communion with a Higher Power may be brief and on their own terms, but it’s meaningful nonetheless.

#WeAreDementiaStrong. If you need help, Caregiver Support and Resources, LLC, has over 25 years of experience with all aspects of dementia care. We’re happy to provide referrals and guide the process in a caring and compassionate way.

It’s 11:30 at night. You wake to get a glass of water. As you walk down the hallway, you sneak a peek into your sister’s bedroom. Quick, little checks when you get the chance have set your mind at ease since her Alzheimer’s diagnosis a few years back.  

She’s gone. She’s become prone to wandering — among the most common Alzheimer’s and dementia behaviors — in recent months. But she’s never gone missing. You run to the kitchen and spot a half-eaten PB&J sandwich on the counter and the door to the garage swung wide open.  

You panic. Where could she possibly be? Then, thankfully, you spot your sister down by the road. She appears to be checking the mail. You find your slippers to go get her. 

Down by the road, barefoot in a nightgown, your sister opens the mailbox and looks inside. She closes it, walks away a few feet and returns to look inside once more. “Sweetie, what are you doing out here? It’s freezing,” you say. She looks up, surprised to see you, and notes her surroundings. Confused and a little embarrassed, she says, “I was just checking to see if the mail came yet.”

You don’t try to argue. You just tell her you already got it. At least she’s OK.

Reasons for Alzheimer’s and Dementia Behaviors Like Wandering 

Wandering can be one of the most dangerous Alzheimer’s and dementia behaviors. The fictional example above ended on a positive note. But for many persons living with dementia and their care partners, wandering can lead to very scary outcomes. Nearly half of those with this tendency end up seriously injured or worse in a fall or by exposure to extreme heat or cold.  

Perhaps you, too, recall searching for hours or — even days — for a loved one. If not, you’ve certainly heard such harrowing stories in the news. Many people with all types of dementia diagnoses and their varying stages may wander only around the home or become overwhelmed in public spaces. But the reality is that any individual with dementia — diagnosed or not — with any type of mobility (walking, wheelchairs, scooters or motor vehicles) is at risk for getting lost or hurt.  

Here’s why it may happen:

1. Routines (Former Jobs, Chores & Responsibilities)

Routines become ingrained in us. Many of us go to the same workplaces, grocery stores, places of worship and recreational areas for many decades. We complete certain household chores on a rotation or certain days — mowing the lawn, washing dishes, vacuuming, etc., so many times the list may run on autopilot.

While memories of these routines may fade for people living with dementia, feeling the need to do a task or run on a schedule remains. In early to mid-stages, your loved one may drive away thinking they need to go to work or the store. Later, they may move around the house without an apparent goal. But they’re likely just searching for the next task or a meaningful object, even if they don’t know what.

2. Spatial and Visual Disorientation

Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia also diminish eyesight as well as depth and dimensional perception. Especially in mid-to-late stages, generally poor eyesight may make it difficult to navigate at home and in public places. It can also be difficult to read signs for direction.  

Similarly, changes in depth and dimensional perception often cause your loved one to make a wrong turn or avoid an area that looks impassable (dark areas or unique design patterns on carpets or walls can look like obstacles).  

3. Strong Physical & Emotional Needs

Anyone can feel strong emotions. But those of us not living with dementia typically can address them safely. Someone with dementia may feel anxiety, fear and overstimulation — even within their own home. They may not recognize a room within the house, or the house itself. Those who can communicate well verbally often wonder, “When are we going home?” So your loved one may search for home. 

If your loved one has difficulty communicating or expressing discomfort, they may seek a place to soothe the nerves. They may not know where they want to be, but walking around to find “anywhere but here” may feel right.  

4. Difficulty Navigating Familiar Areas

Those in early and middle stages of dementia often enjoy a lot of independence. Long walks? Quick drives to the store or to visit a friend? Why not? But all of the sudden, that path around the lake doesn’t look familiar. That wasn’t the right highway exit.

Wandering isn’t always aimless. A lost loved one may become more lost while trying to backtrack and find their way. (Helpful hint: individuals with dementia often move the same direction as their dominant hand.)   

5. Sundowning and Sleeping Difficulties

Dementia often disrupts the part of the brain responsible for governing sleep through the natural circadian rhythm. As evening sets in, “sundowning” affects many individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and/or other types of dementia may become extra agitated, confused or restless.  

When it would normally be time to wind down or be asleep, they may be prone to walking around to ease restlessness or meet some emotional/physical need. But not remembering or being able to express what they need, your loved one may just walk around the house. Nighttime hours when care partners may be sleeping can be particularly dangerous if a loved one in advancing stages needs frequent or 24/7 supervision.  

6. Finding Home

I alluded to this above, but it bears repeating. Finding home is a strong and common urge for persons with dementia. They may already be home — or whatever has become their home. So they search, and search, and search some more. 

After all, home is where the heart is. Their brain just isn’t registering where home might be.  

Plan for Wandering as a Common Alzheimer’s and Dementia Behavior 

As Brian and I always say, dementia is so much more than memory loss. Wandering is a common Alzheimer’s and dementia behavior that affects at least 60 percent of persons with dementia.

In assisted-living facilities, you may see residents moving up and down the halls or in and out of rooms. Staff and care partners without training in person-directed care and person-centered language may label such individuals as “wanderers.” But perhaps they’ve simply always enjoyed walking. Or maybe they worked in a similar facility earlier in life. They’re simply living life according to their own routine. Others in a variety of living situations wander to address a range of needs that may or may not be obvious.

#WeAreDementiaStrong. If you need help, Caregiver Support and Resources, LLC has over 25 years of experience with all aspects of life-care planning including dementia care. We’re happy to provide referrals and guide the process in a caring and compassionate way.

Your next door neighbor, a very dear friend of many years, stops by your front porch for a visit. She notices you sitting in the shade with a glass of sweet tea and makes her way over. 

Terrific, you could use the company! You and your husbands have been retired a few years now, and it’s nice to kick back, get out of the midday heat and enjoy the quiet.

But you’re growing concerned with your neighbor’s conversations. She’s gotten so repetitive. “Where are you two headed for dinner?” she asks. You tell her a favored spot you and invite her and her husband along. A few minutes later: “Where are you two headed for dinner?”

You’ve long chalked it up to simple forgetfulness, but your good friend could be experiencing a very common early Alzheimer’s and dementia behavior: repetition. 

Repetition in Persons Living with Alzheimer’s and Dementia

The concerned neighbor in our fictional friendship above could be anyone close to a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Those closest to an individual — a spouse, sibling, other close relative or friend — will be keenly aware of the repetition from the outset. You’ll notice your loved one repeating questions and phrases, innocently enough at first. 

As they progress through the stages of dementia, the repetition often becomes more notable. And the reasons for their repetitive behavior tend to gather more meaning beyond memory loss alone.  

Short-Term Memory Loss

But we must begin with the most obvious. Repeating phrases and questions, especially in early stages, often stems from short-term memory loss. It’s the first to go in most types of dementia. Your loved one will have difficulty recalling what they or others have already said or done.

Regrettably, most care partners readily admit to becoming annoyed with answering the same question or hearing the same treasured story multiple times. It’s helpful to remember, you have the luxury of remembering. They don’t.

Battling the Fog

Brian, my life partner/care partner who lives with Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, often describes what he calls the “fog” or “blackness.” While in this state, which in his case comes and goes without warning, cognitive function can be severely diminished. That means he has difficulty comprehending and retaining information as well as producing relevant responses to dialog and situations.  

So for Brian and millions of others like him, it’s difficult to keep up with conversation on foggy days. But, of course, they always want to be included. Persons living with dementia often lean on a few key phrases — like “Boy, it has sure been rainy” or “I should head to the store” — as fillers. Was it rainy? Does she need to pick up groceries? Maybe yes. Maybe no. But they’re fulfilling a need to say something.

Confusion, Anxiety & Frustration

Your loved one may repeat certain tasks, like household chores. They may fold and refold laundry or wash and rewash dishes. Perhaps they’re accustomed to being busy, feeling an itch to complete a familiar task. It may be confusion, especially in mid-stages when they’re still relatively aware and functional. They feel as if something along their daily checklist wasn’t done — even while looking at a stack of towels they neatly folded just a few minutes ago.

Anxiety and frustration also play roles in repetition. Your loved one may repeat things to keep busy while feeling uneasy about their current situation or mental state. As we all know, activity can calm a frazzled mind.

Asking For Help

We all need help and assurance from time to time. Thing is, most people without Alzheimer’s and dementia can easily ask for it. Your loved one may repeatedly ask, “When are we going home?”, even if they’re already home. They may repeat a word or easy phrases — like “My, oh my” or “Good gracious.” 

These statements seem disconnected from reality or logic. There may be nothing happening that would merit them. But, in their mind, they may feel overwhelmed, uncertain or disoriented. Furthermore, they likely can’t address those feelings or find the right words to ask for help. 

Common Alzheimer’s and Dementia Behaviors: Repetition Often Has a Meaning

We know, dealing with repetition day in and day out can be aggravating, even for the most caring and passionate care partners among us. But we can respond more compassionately if we pay attention to the powerful emotions and needs behind a loved one repeating questions, phrases and activities. (Rule of thumb: just answer the question, even if you’ve already answered it 24 times already.)

#WeAreDementiaStrong. If you need help, Caregiver Support and Resources, LLC has over 25 years of experience with all aspects of life-care planning including dementia care. We are happy to provide referrals and guide the process in a caring and compassionate way.

It’s just after dinner. The sun is going down, and your father rests in his favorite recliner as you pick up the dinner table. He calls out from the living room, “When are we having dinner?” You glance up at the clock. 

“But we already had dinner, Pop,” you call back calmly. “You finished most of your chicken this time.”

You hear a groan, and the recliner clicks in. He shuffles out to the kitchen. “What are you talking about?” he asks crossly. “I haven’t eaten since breakfast.”

You gesture to the table, where more than half of the dishes and a few scraps of Mom’s chicken marsala remain. “See, Dad?” you plead. “There’s your plate. Wasn’t it good?”

He shoves his plate. His silverware clanks loudly against the wall. He stands hunched over the head of the table, teeth clenched, fists balled against the placemat. “You’re just saying that so I go to bed early!”

It’s going to be another rough night.

The Care Partner’s Struggle: Alzheimer’s and Dementia Behaviors

You may recognize our hypothetical scenario. Perhaps you and your mother have actually looked at each other in despair at another outburst your father can’t control. Maybe your own spouse, brother, aunt or niece struggles with common Alzheimer’s and dementia behaviors like confusion, emotional outbursts, hallucinations, disorientation and so many more.

Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia each have their own styles that affect people in different stages, well, differently. But, in general, there are certain behaviors and characteristics that affect many individuals.  

Here are some of the most common: 

1. Repetition

You’re likely familiar with repetition. You’ll hear the same story countless times — sometimes with different endings. You’ll hear the same questions time and again. 

While dementia is so much more than memory loss, this is often a memory thing. Especially in the early stages of dementia, short-term memory is among the first things to go. Your loved one likely doesn’t remember from one moment to the next what has and hasn’t already been said in the conversation or done in their daily routine.

They may repeat certain phrases and activities — like “When are we going home?” when they’re already home or refolding clothes that have already been folded. Repetition can also signal anxiety, uncertainty or boredom with current places and situations.

2. Wandering

Persons living with dementia may appear to wander aimlessly around the home or wherever they may be. But make no mistake, wandering is not aimless to them. Especially in later stages, they’re just trying to get where they feel they need to go. 

Those feeling disoriented, not recognizing their current surroundings, may be “searching” for home. They may feel uncomfortable or anxious, trying to find a place that feels calm and safe, even if it’s just the other side of the room for a brief moment. They may be looking for something meaningful to them — a keepsake, special picture or someone they love — although they may not remember what that something is. 

3. Sleep Changes 

You may notice your loved one no longer sleeps through the night or spends increasing amounts of time napping during the day. Humans function with a natural circadian rhythm, which compels us to sleep and wake at “normal hours.” In most healthy individuals, such brain activity is influenced by external stimuli — namely perceptions of light and dark that accompany the rise and set of the Sun. Those living with dementia, which systematically destroys brain cells (including those governing circadian rhythm), may gradually lose this vital function. 

They may also experience sleep disturbances. A brain at rest is anything but “at rest.” It cycles through stages, from light sleep through deep and dream (REM) sleep. Damaged brain cells misfire and upset those stages, causing restlessness, sleep interruptions and night terrors. 

4. Sundowning

Relatedly, “sundowning” may cause increased agitation, confusion and restlessness as evening sets in. Dementia regressions affecting a person’s internal clock can be upsetting for reasons your loved one likely can’t understand or verbalize. They may feel they should be getting sleepy or that they actually are tired, but are too uneasy to comfortably settle into a “normal” evening routine. 

Sundowning may also result from mental exhaustion. Remember: your loved one has just completed another day navigating life in a perpetual state of confusion. Wouldn’t you be cranky?   

5. Losing Appetite

Appetite loss is common with dementia. Sometimes it may not be true appetite loss, but rather simply forgetting to eat. But quite often, as with many secondary conditions and symptoms of dementia, the brain’s wiring that tells us to eat is disrupted.

Your loved one may lose interest in food and drink altogether. Expect weight loss and weakness as later stages set in. Stopping eating is often a significant factor in what makes dementia a terminal illness.

6. Collecting & Hiding Objects

Individuals with dementia may hide away common objects like silverware — or even food. This could at first seem relatively harmless. It’s easy enough to play off a drawer full of forks or pens as harmless, or as a confused manifestation of a lifelong collection hobby (like Mom’s stamp collection or Dad’s display of sports autographs).

But in advanced stages, this common dementia behavior could be unsafe and unhealthy (think fire hazards and rotten food). It may become severe as hoarding. Hiding objects can arise from a strong desire to control losses of memory and cognition. It may also stem from a delusion that someone is stealing from them or a self-preservation instinct to ensure there will be enough food and drink later.  

7. Manipulation

Your loved one may distort reality to get the things they want or need. You might go so far as to call it manipulation. Whether they know they’re being manipulative is subjective — depending on their type(s) of dementia, level of awareness and personal characteristics.

Those with more awareness may use confusion to feign unawareness: “You never told me that.” Or as a bargaining chip: “You told me I could drive to the store if I took my medicine.” It’s hard to reconcile your loved one’s desires with what’s rational and safe. 

8. Poor Judgment

Similarly, poor reasoning and judgment is a common cognitive regression associated with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Through no fault of their own, persons living with dementia may have a diminished ability to think through things that are important or dangerous. 

Much more than memory alone, cognition dictates our ability to reason. It drives decision-making from whether a financial choice is prudent to whether it’s safe to pull out onto a busy street. 

9. Communication Difficulties

Imagine always losing your train of thought. Or struggling to remember what something is called. Or worse yet, temporarily (or permanently) losing the ability to communicate verbally.

Persons living with dementia may have difficulty communicating, in one way or many. But they can most certainly express emotions and meaning through nonverbal cues like facial expressions, eye movements, gesturing, grunting and humming.  

10. Anxiety, Aggression & Anger

Common Alzheimer’s and dementia behaviors like anger and aggression — like in our fictional dinner example earlier — can stem from any number of feelings and experiences noted in this blog. Your loved one may feel anxious and disoriented in their own home. They may be frustrated over not being able to communicate (above). They may feel paranoid from hallucinations and delusions (below).

In some cases, aggression may turn violent, often lashing out physically or verbally at family and friends they can’t recognize or trust. The loss of control and meaning in their world is understandably upsetting.

11. Hallucinations, Delusions & Suspicions

Misfiring neurons can cause our loved ones to sense things that aren’t there: mysterious figures in dark corners, creepy-crawly critters, phantom sounds, etc. It’s scary, suspicious, enough to make anyone uneasy. (Helpful hint: Arguing that something isn’t there doesn’t help to quell the dementia-related delusions that are very real to your loved one. Acknowledge their feelings, and change the environment. Sometimes switching on a light or changing rooms can calm the nerves.) 

A Great Life-Care Plan Should Address Common Alzheimer’s and Dementia Behaviors

You may not know what lies in store for your loved one after a dementia diagnosis. They may progress slowly or rapidly through stages. They may experience different symptoms in different ways. But you do know there are common Alzheimer’s and dementia behaviors that can be addressed in due time with a strong plan.

#WeAreDementiaStrong. If you need help, Caregiver Support and Resources, LLC has over 25 years of experience with all aspects of life-care planning including dementia care. We’re happy to guide the process in a caring and compassionate way.