Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
AND DEMENTIA
CHANGED BEHAVIOURS
TULBURĂRI DE COMPORTAMENT
ȘI DEMENȚA 1
comportament
Această Fișă Informativă examinează câteva dintre schimbările obișnuite de comportament
care pot interveni la o persoană care suferă de Demență. Sunt discutate cauzele unor
asemenea schimbări și unele indicații asupra modului de a le face față.
Schimbările în comportamentul unei persoane suferind de Ce e de încercat
demnță sunt foarte comune. Ele pot pune un stres enorm pe • Asigurând o ambianță calmă, lipsită de stres, în care
familii și îngrijitori. Este un fapt deosebit de îngrijorător, când o persoana suferindă de demență urmează o rutină familiară,
persoană cunoscută ca amabilă și iubitoare se comportă într- poate fi de ajutor pentru evitarea unor comportamente
un mod straniu și agresiv. dificile.
Această publicație oferă doar un rezumat general al topicii acoperite. Cei interesați Dementia Australia ©2002
trebuie să caute un aviz profesional privind cazul lor specific. Dementia Australia nu Revizuit 2015
este responsabilă pentru nici-o eroare sau omisiune din această publicație.
CHANGED BEHAVIOURS
AND DEMENTIA 1
Changed behaviours
This Help Sheet looks at some of the common behaviour changes that
may occur when a person has dementia. Reasons for the changes and
some general guidelines for coping with them are discussed.
Changes in the behaviour of a person with dementia • Keep the environment familiar. People with
are very common. This may place enormous stress dementia can become upset if they find themselves
on families and carers. It can be particularly upsetting in a strange situation or among a group of unfamiliar
when someone previously gentle and loving behaves people where they feel confused and unable to
in a strange or aggressive way. cope. The frustration caused by being unable to
meet other people’s expectations may be enough
Why does behaviour change? to trigger a change in behaviour
There are many reasons why a person’s behaviour • If a behaviour becomes difficult, it is best to refrain
may be changing. Dementia is a result of changes from any form of physical contact such as
that take place in the brain and affects the person’s restraining, leading them away or approaching from
memory, mood and behaviour. Sometimes the
behind. It may be better to leave them alone until
behaviour may be related to these changes taking
they have recovered, or call a friend or neighbour
place in the brain. In other instances, there may be
changes occurring in the person’s environment, their for support
health or medication that trigger the behaviour. • Avoid punishment. The person may not remember
Perhaps an activity, such as taking a bath, is too the event and is therefore not able to learn from it
difficult. Or the person may not be feeling physically
well. Dementia affects people in different ways and • Speak slowly, in a calm, quiet and reassuring voice
reduces a persons capacity to communicate their • Remain quiet or neutral if the person tells you
needs and manage environmental stressors. something that seems wrong or mixed up
Understanding why someone is behaving in a
particular way may help you with some ideas about Aggression
how to cope. This can be physical, such as hitting out, or verbal
such as using abusive language. Aggressive
Where to begin behaviour is usually an expression of anger, fear
Always discuss concerns about behaviour changes or frustration.
with the doctor, who will be able to check whether
there is a physical illness or discomfort present and What to try
provide some advice. The doctor will be able to • The aggression may be due to frustration. For
advise if there is an underlying psychiatric illness and example, locking the door may prevent wandering
check the person’s medications. but may result in increased frustration
• Activity and exercise may help prevent some
Managing
outbursts
Managing changed behaviours can be very difficult,
and is often a matter of trial and error. Always • Approaching the person slowly and in full view may
remember that the behaviour is not deliberate. Anger help. Explain what is going to happen in short, clear
and aggression are often directed against family statements such as “I’m going to help you take
members and carers because they are closest. The your coat off”. This may avoid the feeling of being
behaviour is out of the person’s control and they may attacked and becoming aggressive as a self-
be quite frightened by it. They need reassurance, defence response
even though it may not appear that way. • Check whether the aggressive behaviour is about
What to try getting what the person wants. If so, trying to
anticipate their needs may help
• Providing a calm, unstressed environment in which
the person with dementia follows a familiar routine
can help to avoid some difficult behaviours
This publication provides a general summary only of the subject matter Dementia Australia ©2002
covered. People should seek professional advice about their specific case. Reviewed 2015
Dementia Australia is not liable for any error or omission in this publication.