As a caregiver in Dementia Care facilities in Indian Harbor Beach, FL, you will encounter many types of behavior. You also know that sometimes it can be challenging to understand why someone is acting out and what you can do about it. This article will help you find ways to handle mean behavior from people with dementia in your care facility.
By Helping Understand What’s Happening and Why
It’s essential to explain to the resident that their behavior is unacceptable, what is happening and why. For example: “You’re upset right now because you don’t understand why we are taking your medications away from you.” Or “You are frustrated that you can’t remember how to do something, so you are yelling at us because it hurts your feelings.”
This will help your loved one understand that their actions aren’t intentional or malicious – it’s just the way dementia affects them. By giving information and motivation this way, caregivers can help residents understand why they’re acting out without making them feel like they’re being scolded or reprimanded.
When someone with dementia gets upset or angry, they might say mean things because they don’t realize how their words affect others. You mustn’t take these comments personally – they aren’t directed at you!
By Keeping a Routine
When a resident is experiencing dementia, it can be difficult to maintain their routine. This is especially true if they are in a new environment or have been recently moved from one community to another. Some ways caregivers can see to it that residents stay on schedule are by keeping an eye on them and ensuring they eat at the same time every day, sleep at regular intervals, etc.
If your loved one has been diagnosed with dementia and needs assistance with daily activities such as bathing or dressing – or if they simply have trouble remembering things – it may be time for you to start looking into hiring a caregiver who can provide these types of services in your home.
By Recognizing the Triggers That Start the Behavior
By learning to recognize the triggers that start this behavior, you can help your loved one avoid those situations and prevent meanness from occurring. Once you know what sets off your loved one’s mean behavior, you can plan for it and take steps so they won’t have an outburst.
It might be as simple as not eating enough during a mealtime; if your loved one doesn’t have enough food in their stomach, they may become irritable and snappy with others around them because they’re hungry. Or maybe they’re tired from not getting enough sleep – when people are tired, it’s easy for them to get upset over little things like being asked questions or having too much noise around them.
By Redirecting the Conversation to a Neutral Subject
If someone dementia with is being mean, it can be helpful to redirect the conversation to a neutral subject. For example, if they’re telling you that they hate their room and want to be moved, you could ask them what they like about their current room. This will take their mind off being upset and allow them time to decide on an appropriate response.
Conclusion
Dementia Care is a very challenging job, but it’s also one that is rewarding and worthwhile. The key to success is learning how to deal with mean behavior in those with dementia and knowing what’s behind it so you can prevent it from happening again.
