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What are the causes of Aggression & Dementia?
Lisa Reisman • Aug 29, 2019
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Aggression And Your Loved One With Dementia
If your loved one is suffering from dementia, it's not uncommon to witness an increase in aggression. This is often very distressing for family members, who might not understand what is happening to their formerly mild-mannered mother or their previously thoughtful and considerate father. While aggressive behavior is common in dementia patients, the causes can vary. In order to cope with your loved one's behavior, it helps to first better understand aggression in people suffering from Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia.
What is aggressive behavior?
You might wonder what exactly constitutes aggressive behavior in your elderly loved one. More than one-third of dementia patients act aggressively once their conditions reach the moderate or severe stages. The acts of aggression may occur suddenly, without provocation. Alternatively, your loved one might become aggressive as the result of a stressful or frustrating situation. Aggression typically falls into two major categories:
- Verbal aggression. This includes excessive swearing, shouting, and verbalized threats.
- Physical aggression. This type of aggression includes biting, hitting, pushing, hair-pulling, scratching, and other physically aggressive actions.
What are the causes of aggressive behavior?
There are many potential causes of aggression and attempting to determine what triggers your loved one's aggressive behavior may help you find ways to cope. People who suffer from Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia are often unable to communicate or recognize their own needs. This lack of having needs met–including comfort, social interaction, and freedom from pain or discomfort–can cause patients to act out aggressively. Let's consider some potential explanations for aggression.
Biological causes:
- Uncomfortable environment. This could be as simple as the room being too warm or too cold. Or, the environment might be over-stimulating, such as a noisy cafeteria with bright lights.
- Physical discomfort. There are many potential culprits that fall under this category, including infections, illness, or even constipation. Alternatively, your loved one might simply feel uncomfortable due to hunger, thirst, or sitting in one position for too long.
- Side-effects of medication. Various side effects–including dizziness and confusion–can cause patients to feel disoriented and uncomfortable, triggering aggression.
- Hallucinations. People who suffer from dementia sometimes also suffer from hallucinations, where they see, hear, smell, or taste things that aren't really there. Hallucinations are often distressing for patients, which might cause them to act out.
Social causes:
- Social isolation. Often, people suffering from dementia find themselves feeling isolated from family and friends.
- Caregiver concerns. Maybe your loved ones have had multiple caregivers who handle things differently, and they are craving consistency. Or, perhaps your loved one simply distrusts his current caregiver.
- Sensory deprivation. Your loved one might feel bored due to lack of regular activity and loss of social interaction.
Psychological causes:
- Frustration. Frustration often stems from a lack of independence and the inability to complete basic tasks that once came simply to them.
- Mental health concerns. Besides dementia, your loved one might also suffer from depression and/or anxiety or other mental health issues.
- Feeling ignored. While struggling to cope with a loss of independence, many patients may also become angry if they perceive that their feelings or wishes are being ignored by family members and/or caregivers.
- Altered reality. Dementia patients are often living in a reality that is different from the reality of their family members. This can result in confusion and frustration. For example, your loved one might have retired from teaching 20 years ago, but still attempt to get ready for work sometimes. Being prevented from "going to work" can result in aggressive behavior.
Coping with aggressive behavior in your elderly loved one is not an easy task. There are no simple answers, but Complete Care At Home is here to help during this challenging time. We understand the emotions you're going through and our caregivers are specially trained to care for seniors with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Please contact us
today for more information.
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