Behaviors
Introduction
Aggression
Wandering
Anxiety or agitation
Confusion
Hallucinations
Repetition
Sundowning and sleep problems
Suspicion
Introduction
Alzheimer's causes changes in the brain that can change the way a person acts. Some individuals with Alzheimer's become anxious or aggressive. Others repeat certain questions and gestures. Many misinterpret what they see or hear. It is important to understand that the person is not acting this way on purpose or trying to annoy you.
Challenging behaviors can interfere with daily life, sleep and may lead to frustration and tension. The key to dealing with behaviors is: 1) determine the triggers 2) have patience and respond in a calm and supporting way and 3) find ways to prevent the behaviors from happening.
Aggression
Aggressive behaviors may be verbal (shouting, name-calling) or physical (hitting, pushing). They can occur suddenly, with no apparent reason, or can result from a frustrating situation. Whatever the case, it is important to try to understand what is causing the person to become angry or upset. Triggers for aggression can include a medical problem, a noisy environment or pain.
Wandering
It is common for individuals with dementia to wander and become lost. They often have a purpose or goal in mind, such as searching for a lost object, trying to fulfill a former job responsibility or wanting to "go home" even when at home. However, wandering can be dangerous, resulting in serious injury or death. Help keep your elder safe and enroll in MedicAlert ® + Alzheimer's Association Safe Return ®, a nationwide identification program designed to assist in the return of those who wander and become lost. See Safety Center to learn more about wandering and other safety issues.
Anxiety or agitation
The person may feel anxious or agitated, or may become restless and need to move around or pace. The person may become upset in certain places or focused on specific details. He or she may also cling to a certain caregiver for attention and direction.
Confusion
The person may not recognize familiar people, places or things. He or she may forget relationships, call family members by other names or become confused about where home is. The person may also forget the purpose of common items, such as a pen or a fork.
Hallucinations
When individuals with Alzheimer's disease have a hallucination, they see, hear, smell, taste or feel something that isn't there. The person may see the face of a former friend in a curtain or may hear people talking. If the hallucination doesn't cause problems, you may want to ignore it. However, if they happen continuously, see a doctor to determine if there is an underlying physical cause.
Repetition
The person with Alzheimer's may do or say something over and over again – like repeating a word, question or activity. In most cases, he or she is probably looking for comfort, security and familiarity. The person may also pace or undo what has just been finished. These actions are rarely harmful to the person with Alzheimer's but can be stressful for the caregiver.
Sundowning and sleep problems
The person may experience periods of increased confusion, anxiety and agitation beginning at dusk and continuing throughout the night. This is called sundowning. Experts are not sure what causes it, but there are factors that can contribute to the behavior, such as end-of-day exhaustion or less need for sleep, which is common among older adults.
Suspicion
Memory loss and confusion may cause the person with Alzheimer's to perceive things in new, unusual ways. Individuals may become suspicious of those around them, even accusing others of theft, infidelity or other improper behavior. Sometimes the person may also misinterpret what he or she sees and hears.
Next: 10 Warning Signs
簡介
攻擊性
走失
焦慮或激動
精神錯亂
幻覺
重複
日落症候群與睡眠問題
多疑
簡介
阿滋海默症導致大腦發生變化，這會改變人們的行為方式。有些阿滋海默症患者會變得焦慮或具有攻擊性。其他有些患者會重複某些問題和手勢。許多患者會誤解他們看到或聽到的事情。瞭解他們並非故意這樣做或並非試圖激怒您是非常重要的。
挑釁行為會干擾日常生活，睡眠，並且可能導致失落和緊張。處理這些行為的關鍵是：1) 確定促發因素 2) 有耐心，平靜且給予支援地做出回應 3) 設法防止這些行為發生。
攻擊性
具有攻擊性的行為可能是口頭上的（大喊大叫，罵人）或身體行為（打人，推人）。這些行為可能沒有明顯原因地突然出現，也可能因為挫折感而出現。無論什麼情況，儘量瞭解什麼使其變得生氣或不安非常重要。攻擊行為的觸發因素可能包括醫療問題，環境嘈雜或疼痛。
走失
失智症通常會走失和迷路。他們通常腦海中有某個目的或目標，例如尋找遺失的東西，嘗試履行原先的工作責任，甚至在家時想要「回家」。但走失會很危險，這會導致嚴重傷害或死亡。協助保護您長輩的安全，入 MedicAlert ® + Alzheimer's Association Safe Return ®，這是一項全國性的身份識別計劃，旨在協助走失和迷路的人回家。請參見Safety Center (安全中心)，瞭解有關走失和其他安全問題的更多資訊。
焦慮或激動
患者可能感到焦慮或生氣，或者可能變得煩躁，需要走來走去或踱步。患者可能在某些地方感覺不安，或者專注於具體細節。他們還可能會緊緊依偎在照護者身邊，以獲得重視和指示。
精神錯亂
患者可能不認識熟悉的人，地方或事情。他們可能忘記關係，叫家人其他名字，或者對家庭住址感到迷惑。或者還可能忘記常見物品的用途，例如筆和叉子。
幻覺
當阿滋海默症患者出現幻覺時，他們會看到，聽到，聞到，嘗到或感受到不存在的東西。他們可能在窗簾上看到以前朋友的面孔，或者聽到有人在說話。如果此幻覺沒有導致什麼問題，您可能會置之不理。但如果經常出現幻覺，則去看醫生，確定是否有潛在的身體原因。
重複
阿滋海默症患者可能反 複做或者說某件事 – 例如重複一個詞，一個問題或一個活動。在大多數情況下，他們可能在尋求舒適，安全和熟悉。他們還可能會來回踱步或者毀掉已經完成的事情。這些行為很少會對阿滋海默症患者造成傷害，但會使照護者產生壓力。
日落症候群與睡眠問題
患者可能出現更長時間的精神錯亂，焦慮和激動，從黃昏開始，持續一整夜。這稱為日落症候群。專家不確定導致這種症狀的原因，但有些因素可能會導致這一行為，例如一天結束時的疲憊感或不太需要睡眠，這在年長者中很常見。
多疑
記憶喪失和精神錯亂可能會使阿滋海默症患者以不同尋常的新方式理解事物。患者可能懷疑周圍的人，甚至指控別人盜竊，不貞或其他不正當行為。有時患者還可能誤解自己看到或聽到的事情。
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