Alzheimer’s Home Care Helps Manage Unwanted Behaviors in Your Loved One

Providing loving care for your loved one with Alzheimer’s disease has many facets. Behaviors of your loved one may change and then change again once you have figured out the best way to deal with them. Some behaviors may be caused by her
environment, and some may be due to the disease. Not every person with Alzheimer’s disease will develop the same behaviors, and some may develop them for a while and then they will stop.

Some Behaviors Your Elderly Loved One with Alzheimer’s Disease Might Develop
It’s important to remember that the behaviors your loved one develops are because of the disease and are not personally motivated. As the disease progresses and creates more damage to the brain’s ability to think, reason, and remember, you
might witness some of these behaviors.

• Out-of-control emotions of fear, worry, and anger. Like a toddler, your loved one may not be able to regulate strong emotions thus creating reactions that seem overblown to you.
• Pacing and wandering about, unable to sit still or remain in one place when needed.
• Hiding things or placing items in completely wrong areas while forgetting where they were placed.
• Confusion around what she sees or hears.
• Getting out of bed a lot at night and having trouble sleeping.
• Becoming extremely withdrawn and depressed.
• Trying to eat items she shouldn’t.
  Six Tips for Managing Alzheimer’s Behaviors
  Learning the best way to manage unwanted behaviors will help make days less stressful for both your loved one and you as her caregiver. Be willing to alter how you react to a behavior if what you tried didn’t work. It can take several attempts to find the best solution and sometimes what worked last week will stop working this week and you’ll need to be ready to start over with new solutions.

1. Be patient and kind. Arguing, yelling at, or trying to physically move a person can all be too confrontational for your loved one and will only make the situation worse.
2. Use redirection. Redirecting your loved one to a new activity or a new location can often stop a behavior in its tracks by removing what caused it from your loved one’s sight.
3. Offer reassurance. Remind your loved one that you care and are there to help.
4. Incorporate physical activity into each day. Regular activity can reduce unwanted behaviors later.
5. Stick to the routine. It helps your loved one to remain calm by knowing what to expect and when.
6. Declutter. Eliminate items in the home that trigger your loved one’s behavior.
   Getting Help with Alzheimer’s Home Care
   With all the changes that Alzheimer’s disease brings on, sometimes behavior changes can be the most difficult for caregivers to manage. It’s hard to not take combative words personally, it can be exhausting to continually answer a repeated question, and it can be physically challenging to always be alert for someone who seems determined to begin wandering. For most caregivers, finding a trusted person to help with Alzheimer’s care is a much-needed strategy in helping them provide the best care for their loved one. An Alzheimer’s home care provider can step in and help when the caregiver is feeling burned out or needs a break to take care of other personal matters. With an Alzheimer’s home care provider, a caregiver can continue to provide loving, consistent care while getting the occasional respite she needs.
   If you or an aging loved one are considering Alzheimer’s home care in Wheat Ridge, CO please contact the caring staff at FirstLight Home Care of Central Denver today at (303) 953-9575 FirstLight Home Care of Central Denver provides exceptional home care for seniors in Denver, Littleton, Westminster, Wheat Ridge, Arvada, Lakewood, Golden, Centennial, Greenwood Village, Aurora and surrounding areas.