Supporting Dementia Residents Through Challenging Behaviour

This guide will provide tips on how to understand and manage common challenging behaviours in dementia and how our staff at The Bill House address these challenges for our residents through specialist dementia care.

Confusion

Confusion is a behaviour which may be mild in the earlier stages of dementia but can become more severe. Your loved one may not recognise family members, forget relationships and names, or become confused about the location of home. These changes are some of the hardest for family members and caregivers.

You can help manage your loved one’s confusion by remaining calm, even if you have been called by a different name or your loved one doesn’t recognise you, offer simple explanations instead of overwhelming your loved one with lengthy reasoning and show photographs or other thought-provoking items to remind your loved one of important people and places in their lives.

Aggression

Often, in the later stages of dementia, your loved one may develop behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) which can include increased agitation, hallucinations and aggression, consisting of shouting or screaming, verbal abuse and sometimes, physical abuse. These behaviours are very distressing for your loved one and for families.

Sometimes, if your loved one is behaving aggressively, you should stay calm and avoid confrontation. It may be necessary to leave the room for a short while. If you can stay with your loved one, reassuring them and acknowledging their feelings, listening to them and explaining why you are there can be effective ways to manage aggressive behaviour.

Wandering

Wandering is common for people living with dementia, especially as they become confused about their location, and it can be a dangerous side effect of the condition. People often wander because they are looking for something or someone from their past or they “want to go home” even if they already are home.

You can reduce the risk of wandering by providing structured activities through the day, ensuring all basic needs are met and reassuring your loved one if they feel lost or disoriented. Ensuring your loved one’s living arrangements are safe and secure, with night lights and safety gates around the home, can assist in preventing wandering.

Should your loved one wander, start search efforts immediately. Begin by searching the local area and, if your loved one has wandered before, check those areas as a priority. If you cannot locate your loved one, contact the police and inform them that they are missing and have dementia.

How our staff at The Bill House address challenging behaviour

At The Bill House, our staff are trained to provide specialist dementia care for your loved one. We offer a personalised approach to dementia care, a safe and supportive environment, enhanced quality of life and specialist care with a human touch.

With facilities such as our Dementia Garden, you can be assured that your loved ones are receiving the compassionate specialist dementia care they deserve to live their life to the fullest.

If you are looking for specialist dementia care for your loved one, contact us here.