How Can Family Caregivers Handle the Rage Alzheimer's Patients Often Display?

Caregiver Northbrook IL - How Can Family Caregivers Handle the Rage Alzheimer's Patients Often Display?

Symptoms of Alzheimer's disease differ from one person to the next. One of the more alarming symptoms is rage. It can come out of nowhere and be very hard to process emotionally. 

Rage and agitation often go hand in hand. Your mom starts getting flustered and that spirals into anger with her screaming at you, glaring at anyone in the room, and pushing you out of the way. When you're a family caregiver, handling that rage and agitation can seem impossible.

Try to Pinpoint the Trigger

One of the first things you need to do is figure out what's causing the extreme anger. It could be an infection is making your mom feel horrible. Urinary tract infections are a leading cause of agitation and anger in Alzheimer's patients. If you've had her checked and a UTI isn't to blame, see if you can narrow things down.

If your mom's circumstances have changed, it could be those changes causing her agitation. Something as small as replacing her broken dishwasher can throw her off. She isn't familiar with the controls and can't do the dishes. That's enough to cause anger in someone with Alzheimer's. It's also hard to handle if you cannot find the exact same model with the exact same controls.

Redirect When Possible

When you can't control the circumstances making your mom angry, you have to try redirecting. Change the subject to something you know she'll enjoy. If she's agitated and her rage is getting the best of her, move her to another room in a manner that will make her forget what she was angry at.

Looking at a picture and asking her when it was taken is one way to do it. Look outside and ask her if she can identify a tree, flower, or bird. Put on a song and start singing or dancing. Chances are she'll join in. Ask her if she'd like to go for a walk. That distraction often works better than anything.

Hire Caregivers to Provide Respite Care

Don't think you have to do everything. If your mom gets angry and explodes into a rage from time to time, leave the room. Let her get past whatever has caused the outrage. If you walk away and she won't let it go, try a distraction. If that doesn't work, you'll have to think of yourself. Have a professional step in.

Professional caregivers can provide the care your mom needs while you take a break. Run errands or go for a walk. Lock yourself in the bathroom and take a bubble bath or go outside and read a book. Make sure you're taking care of yourself, too. Caregivers can handle things until you return.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Caregiver Services in Northbrook IL, contact the caring staff at Gentle Home Services. Call today (800) 860-9823.

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