Whose Problem is Alzheimer's Behavior... The Patient’s or the Caregiver's?

By Marlo Sollitto, AgingCare.com contributing editor

Alzheimer’s disease or dementia causes a person’s behavior to change, seemingly without reason or explanation. Clearly, some behaviors – such as wandering or forgetting to turn off the stove – are not only dangerous; they could put a person’s life in danger. Other behavior problems are less life-threatening: Mom tells the same story all day. Dad compulsively loads and unloads the dishwasher. Dad shouts inappropriate comments in public.

Are behaviors such as these hurting the person with Alzheimer’s or dementia? Or is it that they are annoying and hard to deal with for the caregiver?

5 Causes of Alzheimer’s Outbursts

Feeling confused, worried, frustrated, or even angry about the bewildering behaviors exhibited by your family member is normal. “Now, it’s time to come to terms with a hard truth: the real source of your negative reaction is not necessarily the patient. It’s you,” says Nataly Rubinstein, a geriatric care manager, social worker and former family caregiver.

Is Alzheimer’s Behavior the Patient’s Problem…or the Caregiver’s? originally appeared on AgingCare.com. Visit AgingCare.com for more information on Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Juliet D.

7:48AM PST on Nov 24, 2011

What a silly question. Obviously, everybody is hurt by Alzheimer's. Do you think people enjoy being paranoid or forgetting things?

Care2, please broaden your text block so articles can be read on no more than 2 pages. You have reached the tipping point- people are so tired of forced exposure to multiple pages of ads that they are just not going to bother reading the 2nd page.

November 24
send a green star

Kathy K.

8:34PM PST on Nov 23, 2011

So what *do* you say when you or someone else working with your mother is accused of stealing, or harming her, etc.? I was really hoping this article would offer some help on that one but it didn't.

November 23
send a green star

Penny A.

1:46PM PST on Nov 23, 2011

such a sad illness:(

Kath P.

12:49PM PST on Nov 23, 2011

I cared for a number of people who are in the beginning stages of Alzheimers ...its sad to see it happening. Your article is very insightful...thanks for posting.

Lynn C.

8:32AM PST on Nov 23, 2011

Comments were a great addition to a good post. Thank you all.

holly m.

6:08AM PST on Nov 23, 2011

Alzhimer's is actually a form of dementia.I work in the health care field,and this has included working with people affected by this.What is happening is they are losing portions of their brain.It's gone,that is why they don't remember.The behaviors are understandable-How would you feel if you found yourself somewhere with who you thought were strangers,and they were telling you to do things that seemed illogical to you?It is important to educate yourself as to how to understand and care for them.It is not easy.

Matt P.

5:35AM PST on Nov 23, 2011

Thanks for sharing!

Past Member .

4:53AM PST on Nov 23, 2011

New Report Says over 10 Million Americans Will soon Develop Alzheimer’s disease

Every 22 seconds in the world and every 71 seconds in this country, someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and a startling new report out today from the Alzheimer’s Association predicts that one out of every eight baby boomers — or over 10 million Americans — is expected to develop the disease sometime in the near future.

http://www.canceravoid.com/category/alzheimers/

4:51AM PST on Nov 23, 2011

Don’t be on your ownsome

Try to make as many new friends as possible now. It gets harder as you get older.
Stay in touch or get back in touch with relatives.
If you have a choice, choose to live close to friends and family.
Stay physically active, especially in group exercise programmes.
Participate in community and club events.
Volunteer your services at schools, libraries, and churches.
Learn or develop computer skills to stay in touch with others your age.

http://www.healthcarendiet.com/2011/02/19/symptoms-of-depression-are-more-likely-to-increase-before-the-diagnosis-of-alzheimer%E2%80%99s/