The Alzheimer's Digest: Challenging Behavior

Monday, July 15, 2013

How do I deal with a parent who likes to fight and always has to be right?

Q: My mother likes to fight and she always has to be "right." How can I deal with the argumentative behavior?

A: The best response to cantankerousness is no response at all. Most people who like to argue do so because it tends to evoke a strong emotional reaction from others—they do it to get a rise out of you.
Don't take the bait. If you respond to a challenge minimally, with vague, brief replies and a neutral emotional tone, your mother will probably drop the subject pretty quickly. Show focused interest in response to non-controversial subjects or those on which you really do agree, and you'll have more positive interactions. Bottom line: To increase desirable behavior, reward it.
________________________________

Dementia Signage for the Home

Product Catalog

Gift Shop

Thursday, July 11, 2013

My 90 year old father "flew into a fit of rage" over my son's trying to fix the lock bar on the sliding door. He yells, "this is my house! I paid for it. You ask ME if you want to do anything." (my son is 28). I told him that Mother asked him to see if he could fix it. That didn't matter! He paid for the house. He then yelled at my sister because she initiated the whole "fix the door" situation. She cried and had to leave. I then asked Dad about yelling at the two. He knew nothing about what I was talking about. Do Alzheimer patients just black out when the "rage" happens? I can't get a definitive answer!