Dealing with Alzheimer’s

Dealing with Alzheimer’s: A Practical Guide for Families in George

Discovering that a loved one is showing signs of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) can feel overwhelming. At Jen’s Care, we believe that the first step to coping is understanding that changes in behavior are a direct result of the disease.
As Alzheimer’s progresses, it causes brain cells to die, meaning the brain works less efficiently over time. When a loved one acts out or behaves out of the ordinary, it is vital to remember: the person is not doing it on purpose. They will have good days and bad days, and their actions are caused entirely by the illness.

Common Personality and Behavior Changes

Every individual experiences Alzheimer’s differently, but families along the Garden Route often notice these common behavioral changes:
  • Emotional Outbursts: Getting upset, worried, anxious, or angry far more easily.
  • Withdrawal: Acting depressed, passive, or losing interest in favorite activities.
  • Suspicion and Paranoia: Hiding household items or falsely believing others are stealing or hiding their possessions.
  • Hallucinations: Imagining, seeing, or hearing things that are not actually there.
  • Restlessness: Wandering away from home, pacing repeatedly, or becoming highly distressed by any change in daily routine.
  • Anosognosia: A flat refusal to acknowledge that there is anything wrong with their memory or health.
  • Neglecting Self-Care: Stopping bathing, forgetting to groom, or insisting on wearing the exact same clothes every single day.

Hidden Triggers That Affect Behavior

A person living with Alzheimer’s is deeply affected by their environment and internal feelings. Their sudden behavioral changes are often triggered by:
  • Internal Emotions: Deep feelings of sadness, fear, or being completely overwhelmed.
  • Environmental Stress: Excess noise, confusion from a change in routine, travel, or anxiety about visiting an unfamiliar place.
  • Sensory Misunderstandings: Misinterpreting what they see or hear. For example, someone with AD may look at a mirror image and genuinely believe there is another person in the room.

The Risks of Living Alone

If your elderly relative is still living independently in George, cognitive decline can compromise their daily safety. You may notice they begin to:
  • Forget to eat meals or skip prescribed chronic medication.
  • Show a total lack of awareness regarding household hazards, like leaving electrical appliances or the stove on.
  • Exercise poor judgment, such as letting dangerous strangers into the house.
  • Forget to feed, water, or care for beloved pets.
  • Develop unrealistic suspicions that lead to unnecessary friction with neighbors or local community members.

While some issues can be managed simply at first—such as arranging delivered meals-on-wheels and calling to remind them to eat—many of these situations actively endanger their well-being. When safety is compromised, transitioning to supervised, professional home-based care becomes essential.

Caregiving Tips for Family Members

When interacting with a loved one with memory impairment, keeping your approach gentle and calm is the best way to prevent distress:
  • Introduce Yourself: Never ask, “Do you remember who I am?” This causes instant panic. Instead, smile, make eye contact, and introduce yourself warmly: “Hi Sarah, it’s your next-door neighbor, Elizabeth.”
  • Handle Repetition Gently: If they ask the exact same question repeatedly, do not point out that they just asked it. Keep your answer short, comforting, and identical every time.
  • Avoid Arguments and Quizzing: Do not try to reason, argue, or quiz their short-term memory. If they insist they want to go home or go on a trip, play along. Reassure them by saying, “We will go a bit later, let’s have a cup of tea first.” They will likely forget the request within a few moments.
  • Focus on the Positives: Focus entirely on the skills they still possess, rather than the skills they have lost. Reduce surrounding distractions by lowering the volume of the television or radio.

The Essential DO’s and DON’Ts of Alzheimer’s Care

DO:

  • DO use clear techniques to attract and hold their attention.
  • DO keep all spoken communications short, simple, and direct.
  • DO call the person by their preferred name and speak slowly.
  • DO use closed-ended questions that only require a simple “Yes” or “No” answer.
  • DO find a completely different way to phrase your sentence if they do not understand you the first time.
  • DO use gentle distraction, partial truths, or comforting “fiblets” if telling the raw truth will cause emotional distress.
  • DO rely on a warm, reassuring tone of voice—how you say something is often more important than the actual words you use.
  • DO prepare yourself for the unexpected. Even a loved one you know well may suddenly hit out during a challenging emotional or physical outburst.

DON’T:

  • DON’T ever say: “Do you remember?”, “Did you forget?”, “How could you not know that?” or “Try harder to remember!”
  • DON’T talk in long, complicated paragraphs.
  • DON’T say anything that openly exposes or points out their memory difficulties.
  • DON’T talk about the person in front of them as if they are not in the room.
  • DON’T confuse them by using lots of pronouns, slang, jargon, or unfamiliar words.
  • DON’T use patronizing language, sarcasm, irony, or “baby talk.”
  • DON’T lose your patience. Caregivers often bear the brunt of outbursts, but reassurance and calm consistency will help guide you both through the storm