Agitation

People with dementia frequently become restless, anxious, or upset . Here are a few suggestions to decrease your loved one's agitation:

• Listen to your loved one as he or she expresses her frustration to get a clue about what kind of antecedent is a trigger.
• Try to eliminate and/or decrease triggers as much as possible. For example, pain, discomfort (being too hot, too cold, hungry, needing to use the bathroom, etc.), frustration, and overstimulation are all common triggers of agitation.
• Examine your behavior in response to your loved one. If you are not already doing so, reassure your loved one that you are there to provide assistance and comfort.
• If it seems like your loved one needs something to do, try redirecting your loved one to engage in an enjoyable activity or ask himor her to help you do something (rake leaves, fold clothes, etc.).
• Keep a Behavior Triggers Journal and write down specific, concrete words that clearly describe what your loved one is doing. Note what changes or suggestions you made that worked so you can truly track whether your changes work to decrease the unwanted behavior.

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