People with dementia often develop agitated and aggressive behaviors for various reasons, such as a sense of loss, fear, distress, loneliness, pain, hunger, and clinical depression. Dementia can cause intense emotional outbursts in older adults, and you may find your loved one screaming, yelling, and crying inconsolably for long periods.
Screaming and crying in dementia patients can be a disheartening and disturbing experience for both the patient and caregiver. In this article, you will learn ways to help your loved one handle their emotions and lessen the intensity and frequency of these episodes.
It is normal to feel frustrated and upset after being unable to tune down or pinpoint the cause of your loved one’s screams and cries; however, it is important to remain calm. Showing restlessness or anger will only intensify your loved one’s outbursts as their emotions may subconsciously match yours. Ensure you practice breathing techniques to self-regulate and calm yourself. Speak gently and keep your voice positive, comforting, and reassuring. You can significantly reduce your loved ones screaming or crying episodes by staying calm and providing comfort and reassurance.
Locate the Causes or Triggers
A screaming or crying episode could be triggered by fear, pain, loneliness, anxiety, frustration, sadness, or hallucination. When your loved one shows any agitated behavior, endeavor to immediately identify the cause or triggers and note down your observations. It could be the environment, a song playing, or even a person triggering these episodes. By taking note of your observations, you can identify patterns in their behavior, note possible triggers and help where possible.
Pay Attention to Them
One way to pinpoint crying or screaming episodes triggers is to listen carefully to your loved one for clues. If your loved one screams for help, it might mean they are uncomfortable in their environment or experiencing something scary. Likewise, if they clutch onto a specific body part and cry, it might indicate they are feeling pain in that area or have a physical need. Whatever the situation is, you can help by paying attention to their words and actions.
Attend to Their Physical Needs
Sometimes, crying and screaming is the only way your loved one with dementia can express themself. They may communicate hunger pangs, need to use the bathroom, physical pain, discomfort, or hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli like loud noises, by screaming and crying. As a caregiver, you can efficiently reduce your loved one’s agitated behaviors by ensuring their physical needs are well taken care of and attended to.
Introduce Them to Comforting Activities
Most times, comprehending your loved one’s agitated behavior using logic may not be effective. Instead of solving their outbursts with logic, you might be able to help by distracting them and diverting their attention to an exciting and pleasant activity. Calming activities include playing their favorite songs, providing physical comfort, or going outdoors to enjoy nature.
Caring For Your Loved One with Dementia
Although there are short-term ways to handle screaming and crying in dementia, it’s best to consider longer-term options. Transitioning your loved one with dementia to our retirement community is an effective and long-term way to provide support for them. At our retirement community, we recognize the challenges older adults with dementia often experience and provide all-around support and guidance. Our memory care program ensures that your loved one receives medical, physical, psychological, and mental support. Contact us today!