The theme for Tip Tuesday in July was "redirection".
July 5, 2022
“Some people with dementia seem to have more behavioral symptoms in the evening. The reasons for this probably vary but likely include afternoon fatigue, afternoon caregiver fatigue, lessened stimulation later in the day, and more (this can be labeled as “sundowning”). A whole day of trying to cope with confusing perceptions of the environment may be tiring, so the person’s tolerance for stress is lower at the end of the day.”
Ideas: Have the person take an afternoon nap or increase stimulation in the afternoon, depending on what is needed. Plan the person’s day so there’s fewer expectations of them in the evening.
-“The 36-Hour Day” by Nancy L. Mace, MA and Peter V. Rabins, MD, MPH - pp.239-240
Learn more about "The 36-Hour Day" here - https://lnkd.in/g4ZsZKgQ
July 12, 2022
“As much as possible, encourage a regular routine of waking up, meals and going to bed.”
“Reduce stimulation during the evening hours (i.e. TV, doing chores, loud music, etc.) These distractions may add to the person’s confusion.
“When behavioral interventions and environmental changes do not work, discuss the situation with your doctor.”
Read more tips and learn more by visiting the Alzheimer’s Association website - link: https://lnkd.in/dbAHySvG
July 19, 2022
“Don’t say ‘don’t’; divert and redirect instead.”
-Instead of saying to someone, “don’t do that” (which might not mean anything to them), divert by refocusing their attention onto another subject.
-To redirect, attract the person to another, safer activity.
“...With people living with Alzheimer’s, it is
essential to create a diversion first before
suggesting a more appropriate or safer activity.”
-“I’m Still Here” pp. 162-163 by John Zeisel, Ph.D.
Information about this book can be found here:
July 26, 2022
Helpguide.org shares 5 Ways to Identify the Causes of Problem Behavior:
1. Look at your loved one’s body language and imagine what they might be feeling or trying to express.
2. Ask yourself, what happened just before the problem behavior started? Did something trigger the behavior?
3. Are the patient’s needs being met? Is your loved one hungry, thirsty, or in pain?
4. Does changing the environment by introducing favorite music, for example, help to comfort the person?
5. How did you react to the problem behavior? Did your reaction help to soothe the patient or did it make the behavior worse?
Check out the link below to read more about Alzheimer’s and Dementia Behavior Management:
Have a tip you'd like to share? Please email Katie - katie@oldfriendsclub.org
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