Unfortunately, around 5.8 million Americans have Alzheimer’s and other dementia diseases, and 5.6 million of them are above the age of 65. Having dementia is extremely exhausting for both the affected individual and caregiver due to the wide variety of symptoms, from decreased focus to impaired language use and frequent mood swings.
Dementia and Mood Changes
On the outside, it may seem that these mood swings are happening haphazardly, but it is because of physical changes going on in the brain causing emotional distress.
People with dementia may experience changes in personality, sometimes becoming confused, wary, anxious, or more reliant on family members.
While everyone experiences mood fluctuations occasionally, for those with dementia, these shifts can be more pronounced and unpredictable, often without a clear cause.
These sudden changes can be particularly challenging for caregivers to manage and understand.
Given that dementia mood swings can come from out of nowhere, it is important for caregivers to be prepared when they come. Below, we have put together some tips for caregivers to cope with dementia mood swings.
Dementia Personality Changes to Look Out For
No one person or mood swings can be handled the same way. Before you can figure out how to handle a mood swing, you need to be aware of when it happens.
People have this misconception that the only negative mood swing is when someone becomes violent, but that isn’t the case at all. Depression and paranoia can be equally as troublesome, not only to cope with as a caregiver but to manage as someone with dementia.
Be aware of these personality changes in people with dementia:
- Depression/apathy
- Social withdrawal/isolation
- Paranoia and delusional thinking
- Lack of care about others' thoughts or feelings/rude towards other people
- Lack of interest and motivation towards doing things they like
- Lack of ability to take initiative and make decisions
4 Ways Caregivers Can Cope with Dementia Mood Swings
Set a Relaxing Environment
If you aren’t sure what is going to trigger dementia mood swings, ensure that the environment around someone with dementia is calm and free of stress. A relaxing environment also means making it free from excessive stimulation, like problematic relatives or acquaintances.
You can’t get to the root cause of all the issues that cause dementia mood swings, which is why prevention should be a priority. Bearing that in mind, try to reduce the noise level around the home of someone with dementia. Room temperatures can be another trigger, so make sure that the thermostat is set to comfortable indoor temperatures and that there is a heater and blankets nearby.
Another way of setting a relaxing environment is to stop any flashing lights, either from car lights being reflected in the window or from the TV. If possible, set the TV on a schedule or a timer to shut off at specified periods during the day or after a certain amount of time after being powered on.
Change Your Pace
If you are having difficulties setting a calm environment, look for another approach to redirect their attention and lessen mood swings. Play a movie, TV, music, YouTube, or a home video. Set out a puzzle or get together a card game.
You can even try to start up a conversation on a random topic, past memories, or make a joke; just be careful how you phrase things, and don’t be overly pushy if you think a mood swing is about to start.
Take Care of Their Immediate Needs
While you are in the company of someone with dementia, it is especially important to assess the discomfort that the person may be having.
Whether that is checking if they are hungry or thirsty, or helping them travel to different places, always make sure they feel comfortable at all times.
Also, help them deal with their physical pain by taking them to the doctor or getting them medication from the pharmacy as soon as you can to alleviate their pain or physical discomfort.
Accept That They are Having a Mood Swing
One of the worst things you can do when someone has a dementia mood swing is to ignore it and let it end on its own. Be patient and understand that oftentimes the mood swing isn’t always happening because of what you did.
Memory lapse can cause many disillusions about the world, so stay calm and treat the person with dementia respectfully.
Contact Home Instead for Dementia Care in Lafayette, LA
Dealing with dementia can be taxing for everyone involved. If your family member needs day-to-day help dealing with the symptoms of dementia, contact Home Instead for dementia care in Lafayette, LA, and the surrounding areas.
Our CAREGivers are trained to do a variety of tasks. Whether that is instilling confidence and building physical strength, developing routines and forming healthy habits, or managing the personality changes that come with having dementia, we are here to help.
If you are looking for a caregiver opportunity, explore our available positions!
Source:
https://www.alz.org/media/cacentral/dementia-care-30-personality-changes-in-dementia.pdf
