Among the most disturbing behavior symptoms of dementia is when a senior cries out for help or screams uncontrollably. It can be a frightening thing to witness and cause distress to caregivers. When the behavior occurs, it can be helpful to have some insight into why it may be happening and what to do about it.

Possible Causes of the Behavior

It can be difficult to know just what causes someone with dementia to scream or cry out, but determining the reason is the first step in stopping it. Some possible causes are:

• Pain or discomfort.
• Needing something, like food, water, or the bathroom.
• Feeling bored, anxious, or lonely.
• Overstimulation.
• Having a hallucination.
• Frustration over the inability to communicate.

Tips for Managing the Behavior

Though the behavior is troubling, it’s important that you remain as calm as possible while you deal with it. Getting upset may make the senior even more distraught. Some other tips that may help are:

• Have the doctor check the person for depression and anxiety. If either is present, treatment may help to resolve the behavior.
• Don’t ignore what is going on or try to talk over the screaming or crying. Instead, talk to the senior and involve them in what you are doing.
• Always provide directions as you are doing something with the person, such as helping them to dress or bathe. The behavior can be triggered by not knowing what is going on or why you are doing something.

Activities for Distraction

If you’ve tried to stop the behavior by determining its cause and are still having trouble, activities can help to distract the senior. Some activities that may help are:

• Play Music: Turn on some music that you know the older adult likes. Familiar music can offer them comfort.
• Pet Therapy: Encourage the older adult to interact with their pet. Let them hold the cat or pet the dog.
• Go Outside: Sometimes going somewhere else can stop the behavior. Some fresh air may help the senior to relax.
• Have a Snack: Enjoying a food they like might stop the behavior. Have favorite snacks on hand to give them during such times.

Elder care can assist families struggling to deal with the difficult behaviors of dementia. Elder care agencies are often able to match the experience of their staff members to the needs of their clients. This means that your aging relative’s elder care provider is likely to have experience with dementia patients and know some tricks to deal with behaviors.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering Elder Care Wolfforth, TX, please contact the caring staff at Best In-Home Care (806) 412-0723.

Sources

https://dailycaring.com/14-ways-to-handle-screaming-and-crying-in-dementia/

https://www.verywellhealth.com/why-do-some-people-with-dementia-cry-and-call-out-97628

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/symptoms-and-diagnosis/symptoms/shouting-and-screaming

Does your parent have fond memories of going to baseball games and purchasing a bag of warm, roasted peanuts? Do they think a game of cards isn’t the same without a bowl of peanuts on the table? Or, perhaps they love anything with peanuts in it. If your elderly parent is among the millions of Americans who love peanuts, March is the month for them. It’s National Peanut Month!

A Little About Peanuts

Peanuts are a kind of nut that comes from South Africa—well, sort of. Technically, they’re not nuts at all, but a kind of legume. They grow underground and are sometimes called goobers, earth nuts, or groundnuts.

In the United States, people eat very few raw peanuts. The majority of peanuts are consumed as roasted peanuts, salted whole peanuts, and in peanut butter. They are also used to make peanut oil, peanut protein, and peanut flour, as well as being used in lots of desserts and savory dishes.

Peanut Nutrients

Peanuts are an excellent source of protein. A serving of peanuts (about 100 grams) contains 25.8 grams of protein. That’s nearly as much as a 3-ounce serving of beef steak, which has 29 grams of protein. However, peanuts may be a better choice because they contain mainly monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat while beef contains saturated fat. Eating too much saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels. Therefore, the American Heart Association recommends no more than 6 percent of a person’s daily calories come from saturated fat.

In addition to being a great source of protein, peanuts contain many other nutrients, including:

• Copper: Getting enough copper is important to heart health.
• Niacin: Niacin, or vitamin B3, is another nutrient linked to heart health.
• Vitamin E: Vitamin contains antioxidants.
• Thiamin: Thiamin is another B vitamin. It is necessary for the body to turn carbs into energy.
• Phosphorous: Phosphorous is needed to keep tissues healthy as well as for building new tissues.
• Magnesium: Magnesium is another mineral that is believed to keep the heart healthy.

As healthy as peanuts are, there is such a thing as “too much of a good thing.” Peanuts are high in calories, so they should be incorporated into your parent’s diet with care. Too many of them could lead to unwanted weight gain.

If your parent likes peanuts, senior care can help them to include peanuts in a healthy diet. Senior care providers can make meals that include peanuts, like Asian and South African dishes. They can also bake desserts that use peanuts and peanut butter. Senior care providers can also offer the older adult a handful of nuts now and then to enjoy as a snack.

Sources

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/peanuts

https://www.everydayhealth.com/news/eat-peanuts-live-longer/

https://www.livestrong.com/article/533434-how-much-protein-does-meat-have/

https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/saturated-fats

Caregivers sometimes struggle from caregiver burnout or stress. Doctors and other healthcare providers may suggest that you try a caregiver support group to manage the emotional aspects of the role. But, with so many caregiver support groups out there, how do you decide which one is right for you? Below are some tips that may help.

Know Your Options

Spend some time considering all the options that are available to you. Look for in-person groups in your community. Find out if they are peer lead or lead by a professional facilitator. You may be able to find a support group that is geared toward your aging relative’s specific condition, such as a group for Alzheimer’s caregivers. If an in-person group isn’t for you, you may be able to find one online that suits your needs. The benefit of an online group is that you can check in on forums and messages when your schedule allows.

Try a Few Groups

It’s okay to try a couple different groups. You’re not stuck with one just because you attended one meeting. Trying different kinds of groups can help you to find the one that you feel most comfortable with.

Give Groups a Second Chance

While you’re trying out different groups, consider giving the ones you’re not sure about a second chance. Sometimes it takes a bit to get comfortable with people and feel like you want to share your caregiver struggles.

Use Community Resources to Find Groups

If you’re not sure where to start looking for a caregiver support group, try using these resources:

• The Internet.
• Hospital social workers.
• Organizations that deal with your older family member’s condition, such as the ALS Association.
• Local senior centers or Agencies on Aging.
• Churches in your community.
• Ask for Recommendations.

If you know other caregivers, talk to them about support groups. Ask if they belong to one or if they know of any. Often word-of-mouth recommendations are the best kind. And, if you attend a group with someone you know, it may help you to feel more comfortable.

Look for Positivity

Although one reason for being involved in a caregiver support group is to have somewhere that you can vent your feelings, you don’t want to get mired in negativity. Look for a support group that provides a space to talk about feelings and concerns, but that has a community focused on uplifting and supporting one another instead of just complaining.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering Caregivers in Slaton, TX, please contact the caring staff at Best In-Home Care (806) 412-0723.

Sources

https://dailycaring.com/4-ways-to-find-a-caregiver-support-group-you-like/

https://caregiveraction.org/finding-right-support-group

It’s never productive to be at odds with your senior, but when you’re not even sure what the issue is, that makes everything so much more difficult. These tips can help you to find solutions for what you’re experiencing.

Talk to Her about What’s Really Going On

Sometimes you need to be subtle, but other times it’s better to just dive right in. If you haven’t already, try asking your elderly family member straight out what’s going on. She might be upset about something else and just taking it out on you. Or there might genuinely be something going on and she hasn’t known how to bring it up with you. Regardless, one straightforward conversation can solve a great many mysteries.

Line up Your Expectations

If the problem is one of expectations, that’s something you’ll need to adjust. For instance, your elderly family member might have one set of expectations while you have another. When those don’t match up, conflict ensues. If your senior expects that you’ll do specific tasks by a specific time of day, like laundry, she might get upset if you don’t meet that expectation. Clearing up those misunderstandings helps a lot.

Consider Finding Someone You Trust to Walk You through Solutions

Something else that can help is to talk to someone else who understands what you’re going through. Ideally, other caregivers are an excellent choice for this. Joining a caregiver support group allows you to meet a variety of other caregivers who have been where you are. If you’re in need of bigger help, though, a therapist who specializes in caregiving issues might be a good solution.

Is it Something You Can Just Let Go of for Now?

Finally, you might find that this needs to be an issue that you just let go of on your end. If it doesn’t involve your senior’s safety or something else that is mission critical, you might have to just let it go for now. This isn’t always the easiest option, but it can be the one that allows you to move on for now and focus on the situations that are mission critical.

In some cases, you may need to take a step or two back from caregiving for a little while. The breather gives you some space and can allow both you and your senior to approach your relationship from a different point of view again. Elderly care providers can handle whatever your senior needs and you’ll know she’s in good hands.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering Elderly Care Wolfforth, TX, please contact the caring staff at Best In-Home Care (806) 412-0723.

Excerpt: It’s never fun to find yourself at odds with your aging family member. When it’s happening all the time, you need to find a solution.