Welcome to part 2 of our blog series on managing responsive behaviours in elderly clients with dementia. As we mentioned last week, we think this is a really important issue to cover, given that you're likely to encounter many clients with dementia in your line of work. Understanding the disease and the behaviours associated with it is part and parcel with being a Professional Carer, and you will be expected to know how to deal with them in the workplace.
Last week in Part 1, we touched on aggression, analysing the common triggers of the behaviour and how best to deal with it. This week we will be focusing on anxiety – another very common issue among those with dementia.
It's not uncommon for those who have dementia to recall a memory from the past, and attribute it to the present day. What this means is that memories, such as the passing of a loved one, or traumatic events could be brought up constantly, with the person thinking it has only just happened.
These memories can cause them to become grief stricken, as they are experiencing all of those negative emotions all over again. If they are continually reliving these events, and are constantly in a state of grief, then it can make them very anxious and emotionally vulnerable.
The feeling of isolation, and not having contact with other people is a common trigger for anxiety – particularly with those who are in the earlier stages of dementia. If they have just been moved to an Aged Care facility, they can feel isolated from their family and friends who they've been used to seeing so regularly whilst living in their own home.
All of these things, coupled with the feeling that they are about to go through something that they're not used to can cause them to become very anxious about what the future will bring.
When there are so many things going on at once, it can become overwhelming and cause us to become very anxious and on edge – we've all been there. This is amplified within those who have dementia, as in the advanced stages they will find it very difficult to process several things at once.
This can cause them to become confused very quickly as they try to understand what is happening, and often it can make them feel like something is going wrong – and that's enough to make anyone feel anxious.
If you are seeing that one of your clients is becoming agitated or anxious, then it would be a good idea to take a step back and look at the surrounding environment. As we touched on before, they could be feeling this way because there is too much going on around them.
If this is the case then look to find ways to decrease any stimuli around them. You could distract them by doing a bit of exercise or any other activity that they can concentrate on for an extended period to try and calm them down. Also look to remove them from the environment to somewhere with less people and less going on. Lastly, it would be wise to take a look at how you (and your team if you're in a facility) are working and if the excessive stimulus is a result of being unorganised.
As mentioned before, isolation and loneliness can be a key trigger for anxiety, which is why a fulfilling social life is key for those with dementia. Ensure that they are being visited regularly by family and friends, and are interacting with other residents. If this isn't possible, then spend some time to make them feel comfortable and noticed. Have a chat to them, and listen to what they have to say. You'll find that with regular social interaction they will be far more settled and less likely to go through bouts of anxiety.
A really good way of helping someone with dementia to settle and become less anxious is to present them with familiar objects. A lot of the time, those with dementia will still be able to associate with things from the past, and these objects can bring back fond memories.
Try to show them things such as photos of family members or past events, an old necklace or even their favourite book. Anything that can assist with triggering positive memories, and help them become less prone to feelings of anxiety.
Here ends part 2 of our blog series on how to manage responsive behaviours – specifically anxiety. We hope you've found the information useful!
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