Agitation in Dementia

As a person with dementia experiences increasing confusion, memory loss, and deteriorating cognitive abilities, they may start to show signs of agitation and even aggression. Even small changes in the person’s surroundings can set them off. Watching a loved one become increasingly fearful of and confused by the world around them is extremely difficult.

Is Agitation a Sign of Dementia?

Yes, it can be a common sign of dementia. Especially during the late stages of dementia, a person may become agitated due to a reaction to medications or a change in caregivers or their environment.

Why Do People with Dementia Become Aggressive or Agitated?

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, possible causes of agitated dementia include:

• Moving to a new home, such as moving into a nursing home.
• Changes to their normal environment, including the presence of guests.
• The introduction of a new caregiver or changing caregiver routines.
• Misperceived threats.
• Fear caused by a confusing situation.
• Other co-occurring medical conditions.
• Medication interactions or side effects.

When symptoms of agitation appear in someone with dementia, first schedule them for a medical checkup. The goal is to eliminate any treatable medical causes of the agitation. Once the source of the agitation is better understood, you can take measures to make the individual more comfortable and reduce the behavior.

How to Calm an Agitated Dementia Patient

The Alzheimer’s Association recommends that caregivers of people with dementia maintain a calm and relatively quiet environment to prevent or reduce agitation. This could mean closing shades to prevent sun glare or keeping the television off to reduce background noise. Also, check on the person’s comfort – are they hungry? Thirsty? Tired? Need to use the bathroom? Additionally, create a structured daily routine that works for the individual and then stick to it as much as possible.

But once you’ve passed this point and the individual is visibly agitated or aggressive, how can you calm them back down? Solving the mystery of the underlying cause is the first step in reducing the agitation of a person with dementia. 

Try these steps to defuse the situation:

• Speak in a calm and reassuring tone. Don’t shout back at the person. 
• Calmly ask for permission to help them. 
• Ask the person why they’re upset. They may or may not be able to give you a clear answer.
• Assure the person that you will stay with them until they feel better.
• If you give your distressed loved one instructions, keep them simple.
• Getting the person to go for a walk or starting an activity they enjoy can distract them from the source of agitation and bring their anxiety down.

Empathy Is Often the Key to Understanding the Root Cause of Agitation

As a family caregiver, it can be difficult to keep your cool during a loved one’s outburst. But responding to them irritably will not help. Here’s what will: putting yourself in their shoes. If they’re acting out, something is confusing to them, and they feel like they’re not in control. If you can’t pinpoint a potentially triggering change in their environment, they may not be sleeping very well, resulting in a short temper and heightened frustration with their cognitive abilities. All of this may lead to them feeling increasingly confused, unsafe, or even threatened. 

If you think about it from the individual’s perspective, it’s easier to understand why dementia and aggression frequently go hand in hand. That’s why empathy and patience are two of the most valuable tools in a dementia caregiver’s toolbox.

Dementia Aggression Is Hard to Manage, But We Can Help

Providing in-home care for a loved one with dementia presents daily challenges. As the disease progresses and symptoms worsen, they may display increasing agitation and aggression. But you don’t have to handle it alone. Contact our trusted dementia caregivers for reliable, flexible help. Your local Homewatch CareGivers® has the dementia care experience to make a difference for you, and your loved one.