Underlying Causes of Challenging Behaviors
Posted on December 7th, 2010 by Care and Compliance
Managing challenging behaviors can be one of the most difficult aspects of caring for residents with dementia and other cognitive impairments. In their publication Behaviors: How to Respond When Dementia Causes Unpredictable Behaviors the Alzheimer’s Association reminds that behaviors can be the result of underlying problems, such as:
- Physical discomfort: Such as pain, illness, or adverse effects from a medication
- Over stimulation: Loud noises or a busy environment
- Unfamiliar surroundings: Such as being in a new place or the inability to recognize “home”
- Complicated tasks: Difficulty completing tasks can cause the resident to become frustrated and even angry
- Frustrating interactions: Inability to communicate effectively
The next time you and your staff are working to manage a challenging behavior in one of your residents, consider these potential underlying causes.
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