|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Many times, understanding the meaning of a
word can give us great insight into the issue
at hand. What is agitation?
·Extreme emotional disturbance. (The American
Heritage Dictionary of the English Language)
·A stirring up or arousing; disturbance of
tranquillity; disturbance of mind that shows
itself by physical excitement. (Webster's
Revised Unabridged Dictionary). ·A mental
state of extreme emotional disturbance, the
feeling of being agitated; not calm.
(WorldNet)
Many Alzheimer's patients experience agitation
in addition to memory loss. In the early
stages of the illness, people with Alzheimer's
may encounter changes in their personality,
such as irritability, anxiety or even
depression. But as the disease progresses,
these symptoms can worsen and become more
difficult to live with. They may include sleep
disturbances, delusions and hallucinations.
Many times Alzheimer's patients cannot get in
touch with or express their feelings. So when
they experience agitation, it is often
difficult for the caregivers to understand and
to help.
When a person with dementia displays agitation
or other "symptoms," you must try to determine
what they are trying to communicate. Good
communication is an important part of any
relationship. When caring for a person with
dementia, the ability to communicate becomes
more and more difficult. Both expressing and
processing information becomes impaired. This
inability to express and process can be
frustrating and can manifest itself as
agitation. Following are some suggestions that
may allow you to improve your communication
with your loved one who has Alzheimer's:
·Approach from the front to prevent startling
him or her. ·Maintain eye contact. ·Lower the
tone of your voice. A high pitch may indicate
that you are upset. ·Smile and be pleasant.
·Talk with a calm presence. ·Speak slowly,
clearly and directly. ·Identify yourself. ·Use
short, simple sentences. ·Ask one question at
a time. ·Eliminate background noise. ·Give
plenty of time to respond. ·If he/she cannot
find words, sometimes it helps if you finish
the sentence. ·Repeat information when needed
- repetition is good. ·Frequently
affirm/praise him/her, even for the smallest
things, i.e. "Good job," "Thank you," "You're
the best!" ·Validate feelings. ·Use touch.
Touch the shoulder, knee, back, hand. ·Give
hugs many times a day. ·Don't argue - you'll
never win. ·Laugh together. ·If your talk
becomes "heated," stop. Go back and try again
later. ·Don't talk down. Respect him/her as an
adult. ·Don't' correct him/her. ·Don't demand.
Ask nicely. ·Don't take adverse behaviour
personally. ·Slow down! Hurrying increases
frustration.
Another issue in agitation is non-verbal
communication. Non-verbal communication is
important to be aware of, both in what we are
communicating to our loved ones, and what they
are communicating to us. Non-verbal
communication is expressed by persons with
dementia through body language, facial
expression and tone of voice. At times, the
Alzheimer's patient can look into your eyes
and seem to read your soul, almost like a
"sixth sense." They are sensitive and
intuitive to people and things around them.
They know when someone is being sincere or
not. Body language is as important as their
facial expressions. For example, if your loved
one suddenly gets up and walks around, that
may indicate the need to go the bathroom. Be
alert to those signs and give big hugs as much
as possible. A gentle touch will make their
life much easier and relaxed. Environment can
also cause agitation. Examples would be where
temperatures are too cold or too hot, or
lights too strong or too dim. Try to set up an
environment that is relaxing for your loved
one. It will make his or her life easier. And
as your loved one with Alzheimer's relaxes, so
will you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Andersen Counselling &
Advice, Chelmsford, Essex UK.
Andersen Counselling © 2005-2011.
All rights reserved. Created by CWD
|
|
|
|
|