Alzheimer’s Disease May Cause Changes in Personality and Behavior

If your parent, spouse, or another loved one has Alzheimer’s disease, you may have become concerned over some of the changes in the person’s behavior and actions. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) recommends that the more you understand the disease, the better equipped you will be to understand and cope with the various changes in the personality and behavior of your loved one.

Common worrisome behaviors include getting easily upset, worried and angry as well as frequently misunderstanding what he or she sees or hears. The person may start hiding things or believe others are hiding things from them. They may imagine things that aren’t really there or have a hard time sitting still and spend lots of time pacing. Another very distressing behavior is hitting you or other people. Your loved one may act depressed and stop caring how they look by resisting bathing and/or changing their clothes.

The NIA say one way to help mitigate the person’s agitation and unsettling behaviors is to take a look at their surroundings. If there is a lot of noise and distractions going on around them, limit the noise by turning off the TV or radio and remove them from a loud group of people, which can be very confusing for someone suffering from Alzheimer’s. Other common items around the home may increase confusion such as mirrors or walking over a change in floor surfaces (carpet to wood, etc.).

To help the person stay calm and feel safe, doctors advise sticking to a simple, daily routine. When you need to ask the person something, limit it to one question at a time and speak clearly to them looking directly into their eyes. Other tips include using humor whenever you can, don’t raise you voice and avoid arguing with them.

MorningStar at Bear Creek in Colorado Springs provides compassionate, individualized care to those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Our community is equipped to care for seniors in the onset of the disease right through to the most advanced stages. As dementia care specialists, our team lovingly creates a daily routine that stimulates or calms in response to particular moods or situations. If your loved one is suffering from Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, we want you to know we are here to help.

MorningStar at Bear Creek embodies the very best in senior living with a distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest” that sets us apart from other senior living communities. With a foundation built on honoring God, valuing seniors and investing in a staff with a felt calling to serve, we offer loving, compassionate care within a beautiful home-like setting. Please contact us to learn more about our unique approach to dementia care.

Source: nia.nih.gov/health/managing-personality-and-behavior-changes-alzheimers