Managing behaviors like poor impulse control can be particularly difficult when caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease can impair inhibitions, judgment, and reasoning, which can result in impulsive behaviors that could be dangerous or unexpected. Part of the Alzheimer’s care plan should explore how to manage impulse control, supporting both seniors and their loved ones. An Alzheimer’s home care provider can assist with managing behaviors.
Understanding Alzheimer’s Impulse Control Problems
Alzheimer’s disease worsens over time and affects cognitive abilities, such as impulse control and decision-making. As the illness worsens, seniors may display the following behaviors:
Impulsive Spending: Making impulsive, unplanned purchases without taking one’s budget into account can cause many issues, especially when seniors are on a tight budget.
Wandering: Seniors may leave familiar territory without considering the risks involved. This can be scary for loved ones and dangerous for seniors.
Aggression: While aggression may be seen as a play for more control, it’s an impulsive response to confusion or frustration.
Inappropriate Social Behavior: Family members may find that their loved ones begin to behave poorly in social settings. This impulsive behavior happens because their judgment is clouded.
How to Handle Problems with Impulse Control
Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut method that works in every situation. The tips below can help loved ones and Alzheimer’s home care create an Alzheimer’s care plan that incorporates the best tips for the specific senior in their care:
Structured Environment: Creating a daily schedule and keeping the environment consistent can help lessen anxiety and confusion, which will hopefully reduce impulsive actions.
Supervision and Safety Measures: Loved ones can work with home care to reduce the risk of wandering by creating a secure environment with alarms, monitoring systems, and secure locks.
Redirecting Attention: It can be helpful to diffuse situations if loved ones can draw the senior’s focus elsewhere and away from their impulsive desires. Getting them involved in things they enjoy doing or assigning them focused tasks can work wonders.
Communication Strategies: To reduce misunderstandings that could result in impulsive actions, loved ones should use plain language and steer clear of complicated instructions.
Medication Management: In certain situations, medications prescribed to treat Alzheimer’s can help control behavioral symptoms of the disease, such as impulsivity. It’s important to address any concerns with the medical team.
It takes time, compassion, and a planned approach to caregiving to deal with poor impulse control in seniors with Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s home care and loved ones can create an Alzheimer’s care plan that increases safety, lowers stress levels, and improves the quality of life for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease by putting appropriate strategies into practice.
Finally, loved ones need to know they’re not alone in dealing with these issues. With that in mind, Alzheimer’s home care may suggest support groups, along with seeking advice from the medical team and establishing connections with resources for Alzheimer’s home care, all of which can offer priceless direction and support during this difficult journey. The most important thing is for the care team to work together to ensure seniors have what they need.
Sources: https://carehop.ca/blog/understanding-dementia-impulse-control-issues
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-78124-5
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/managing-your-memory/201802/why-self-control-fails-in-dementia
https://www.verywellhealth.com/anger-and-aggression-in-dementia-4134488
If you or an aging loved one are considering Alzheimer’s Home Care Services in Huntington Beach CA, please call the caring staff at Canaan Home Care today! 1-844-CANAAN-1 (1-844-226-2261)
Canaan Home Care – A Premier Provider of Senior Home Care in the La Jolla, Del Mar, San Diego, Rancho Santa Fe, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Tustin, and Manhattan Beach areas.
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