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Why Are Your Loved One’s Dementia Symptoms Suddenly Getting Worse?

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A daughter holds hands with her elderly father who is experiencing dementia symptoms.

Have a loved one’s dementia symptoms gotten worse all of a sudden? Find out what it might mean here.

Wouldn’t it be helpful if there was an Alzheimer’s care manual, with step-by-step information on what to expect at each stage of the disease? While there are a few general commonalities during the progression of dementia, each person’s experience is different. This makes it difficult to know what to anticipate on any given day.

Even with the unpredictability of Alzheimer’s disease, there are particular situations that are beyond the typical range of expectations to watch for. Perhaps one of the most concerning is a sudden worsening of dementia symptoms. This could occur for many different reasons:

  • Delirium, caused by an infection, surgery or a hospital stay, medication side effects, insufficient sleep, dehydration, or even constipation
  • Brain injury from a fall or a stroke
  • An underlying illness such as cancer or prion disease
  • Sundowning
  • Disruption to normal routine from a move, change in caregivers, hospitalization, etc.

What Are the Typical Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is progressive, and as of now, incurable. Therefore, a decline in condition is to be expected. A sudden shift in the person’s condition, however, is atypical. Generally speaking, the disease progresses through the following stages:

  • Early: The first detectable signs of Alzheimer’s are typically very mild, including short-term memory lapses, forgetting a word, or getting lost.
  • Middle:In the middle stage of the disease, cognitive challenges progress to the point that the individual struggles with independently performing activities of daily living.
  • Late:The final stage of Alzheimer’s, which may take years to reach, involves a lack of response and recognition of both people and environment, as the body starts to shut down.

If You Observe Sudden Worsening of Dementia Symptoms…

Seek medical help right away if a sudden decline is noted so that the cause can be pinpointed and addressed.

A dementia care journal can be a very helpful tool, before, during, and after worsening symptoms. Daily journaling can help you keep track of:

  • What works and what does not work in helping the person manage challenges
  • The person’s overall demeanor on any particular day
  • Any difficult behaviors noted, with particulars on time of day and potential triggers or contributing circumstances
  • Medications taken and any side effects detected
  • Sleeping and eating habits

These kinds of details will be invaluable in helping to piece together what may have caused a rapid change in condition and just how to remedy it.

Responsive Home Care’s caregivers in Plantation, Lighthouse Point, Hollywood, and nearby areas are highly skilled and trained in caring for those diagnosed with dementia and detecting any changes in condition. Contact us online or call us at (954) 486-6440 and let us walk beside you in your dementia care journey.

Best Ways to Manage Alzheimer’s and Dementia Behaviors of Concern

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caregiver comforting senior womanAwkwardness. Discomfort. Disbelief. Shame. Each one of these feelings can cycle through a family caregiver’s heart when someone you care about with Alzheimer’s disease showcases disinhibited behaviors, for example:

  • Rude or tactless comments
  • Inappropriate sexual advances or remarks
  • Removal of clothing at improper times
  • And other socially unacceptable actions

The complicated changes that occur to the brain in Alzheimer’s can cause a complete turnaround in an older adult’s personality and behaviors, for example, a formerly genteel grandma suddenly swearing like a sailor. For somebody who is disoriented, uncomfortable, confused, or has essentially forgotten social graces and skills, these behaviors are actually quite common, consequently it’s crucial to know how to best manage them if and when they develop in someone you love.

Responsive Home Care’s Alzheimer’s care specialists recommend trying the following tactics:

  • See if there’s a solvable problem creating the behaviors, such as a physical illness, medication side effects, the need to utilize the rest room, environment-induced anxiety, etc.
  • Remind yourself that the dementia is to blame, and respond patiently and gently, without overreacting or lashing out in anger.
  • Help the senior loved one remain involved in appropriate activities in accordance with his / her particular interests. If the person becomes agitated with a specific activity, switch to something else, or move to a new room in the house or outside when possible.
  • Pay attention to clothing choices if removing clothes at inappropriate times is an issue. If the older adult has been wearing pants without zippers for comfort and ease, you might want to change to something a bit more challenging to remove when out in public, for example.
  • Be certain that each of the individual’s physical needs are met to circumvent problematic behaviors. Maintain a comfy temperature in the house, keep plenty of healthy snacks and drinks handy, and recommend regular physical exercise and movement.
  • Offer proper physical contact often such as hugs, holding the person’s hand, or rubbing his/her back, when welcomed by the senior, communicating reassurance to relieve anxiety.

It is also beneficial to ensure you’ve got enough time for scheduled breaks to tend to your personal self-care needs and ease the stress that is frequently inherent in taking care of a senior loved one with Alzheimer’s disease. Responsive Home Care, the leader in dementia care in Hollywood, FL and the surrounding area, provides caregivers who are thoroughly trained and experienced in effective, compassionate dementia care, and are here for you with as much or as little respite care as necessary. Call us at 954-486-6440 for additional helpful resources as well as to schedule a free of charge in-home consultation for more information about how we can help.