As if it weren’t enough to deal with forgetfulness and confusion while caring for your loved-one with Alzheimer’s, but aggressiveness, wandering and paranoia can really put you over the edge. Managing your loved-one’s difficult behavior is your true testament of love and devotion. You know it isn’t their fault, it is their disease that is making them scream, cry or yell terrible things out at you. Who ever said patience is a virtue, didn’t care for a loved-one with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Perhaps a caregiver’s only defense is to understand how to react to difficult behaviors and be ready for them.

Difficult behaviors can be broken down into the following categories: Wandering, Sleeping and Eating Problems, Agitation, Paranoia and difficulty with personal tasks. This is not to say these categories are the only forms of behavioral problems displayed by people living with Alzheimer’s, but their remedies may intersect other problems.

Wandering is not an uncommon hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Stress in the variety of noise, clutter or crowding can cause your loved-one to wander. The best idea is to reduce excess stress. A person living with Alzheimer’s disease should be settled in a quiet, clean, and spacious environment. This will eliminate many of the unwanted stressors, which could cause your loved-one to wander. Other reasons why your loved-one may wander include: Feelings of being lost, boredom, need to use the restroom or medication side effects.

In order to prevent your loved-one from feeling lost or foreign to his or her environment, provide them with familiar objects and reassure them quite frequently that they are at home or in a safe place. Maybe a family photo or an award he or she has won always jogs their memory so keep it close by. If your loved-one displays signs of boredom, give them a task of limited difficulty. This will keep them entertained but won’t frustrate them. Folding laundry is a great activity for people living with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

It is possible that your loved-one is wandering because they need to use the bathroom. In which case, place elaborate signs or pictures on bathroom doors to help guide them. Also, it is a good idea for you to implement regular toilet times. This will keep both of you on schedule. If your loved-one is wandering due to medication side effects, contact their physician to initiate a change in prescription or to lower the dosage. Wandering can be a dangerous behavior. Caregivers should contact their local Alzheimer’s Association to obtain information about ‘The Wanderers Program’ in their area.

People living with Alzheimer’s or dementia often experience sleeping and eating problems. Common causes for these problems include: discomfort, medication, pain, dehydration, depression and excessive sleeping or eating.

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