What Causes Seniors with Alzheimer's to get Aggravated?
Sometimes individuals living with Dementia have mood swings, and it's essential to try to determine why.
You've probably heard the term "hangry." It's slang for when we act angry because we're hungry. People with Dementia can be "hangry," too. However, it's pretty standard that people misunderstand this behavior by assuming the person living with Dementia is just angry in general because they have Dementia. In reality, sometimes they're just hungry, thirsty, or in pain but don't know how to communicate it due to their Dementia.
Physical pain also can lead to behavioral or mood changes in people with Dementia. An individual with Dementia who develops a urinary tract infection, for example, may feel the painful symptoms but may not know why they're in pain, how to express it, or how to get help. A person living with Dementia is more likely to "show us" (via mood or behavior) versus "tell us" that they're not feeling well. Other things that can cause mood changes can include:
- Fatigue
- Frustration
- General physical discomfort from arthritis
- Physical needs, such as needing to use the restroom
Some advanced dementia patients may lash out at their caregivers with unexpected aggression later in the day or at night. The phenomenon is referred to as Sundowners Syndrome or "sundowning" because the disruptive behavior usually occurs after the sun has gone down and feelings of paranoia, sadness, fear, or anger seep into the mind, sometimes accompanied by delusions or hallucinations. Sundowning is stressful for both persons living with Dementia and their caregivers. Read more about Sundowning Syndrome; click here.
It's important to recognize when you need help caring for your loved one living with Alzheimer's or Dementia. BrightStar Care nurses and our professional caregivers are good at spotting behaviors prompted by unmet needs. Once we spot specific triggers for behavioral expressions, we can help you set up a daily schedule to reduce the likelihood of these behaviors and minimize their impact on your and your loved one's overall quality of life.
BrightStar Care of Louisville provides home care assistance and a full continuum of private duty home health care services for people living with Alzheimer's, including companionship, personal care, transportation, and dementia care. We proudly serve Fairdale, St. Matthews, Middletown, Jeffersontown, Shively, Anchorage, Jeffersontown, Hikes Point, Glenview, Crescent Hill, and Taylorsville.
For more information about how BrightStar Care supports families and seniors with Alzheimer's, and to learn more about our local team of memory caregivers, skilled healthcare professionals, and home health care support for Dementia, please Click Here.