"It's easy to feel hopeless when someone has Alzheimer's, and to think that small interventions won't make a difference. That's understandable - and thankfully not true. "This symptom can be effectively treated with behavioral interventions as well as medication, which is FDA-approved for the treatment of agitation in Alzheimer's disease," Palekar said. To get to that point, he recommended discussing any agitation-like symptoms with the patient's medical provider."
"While difficult at times, staying calm and helping the person with Alzheimer's stay calm is important. Speak in a calm, reassuring voice, play familiar music they enjoy and reduce confusing noise, Stefanacci said. Similar to the tips above, Palekar listed some specific, non-pharmacological interventions that can decrease agitation, too: Maintaining a daily routine and structure Reducing noise and clutter Gentle touching Soothing music Reading Walking (ideally outside in the sunlight)"
Consistent daily routines for meals, activities, and bedtime help reduce agitation and ease transitions when changes are necessary. Avoid arguing over harmless beliefs and instead respond to the underlying emotion because reasoning may not reach an Alzheimer's-damaged brain. Calm, reassuring voices, familiar music, and reduced background noise support emotional regulation. Agitation responds to behavioral interventions and an FDA-approved medication option; discuss symptoms with the medical provider to consider treatment. Non-pharmacological strategies include maintaining structure, reducing clutter and noise, gentle touch, soothing music, reading, outdoor walks, engaging distractions, and avoiding late-day stimulants such as caffeine. Caregivers should prioritize their own self-care.
Read at BuzzFeed
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]