Common Challenging Behaviors Seen In Persons With AD

-Anxiety [or being anxious] that leads to aggression

-Combativeness, anger and irritation

-Obsessive behaviors

-Acting out behaviors

-Exit-seeking behaviors and or wandering

-Yelling, screaming, moaning

-Feeding difficulties

-Personal care difficulties [bathing, toileting, oral care]

-Incontinence [bowel and bladder]

-Sexual inappropriate behavior

-Psychotic symptoms of delusions, hallucinations [auditory and or visual]

-Suspiciousness and paranoia

Rules of Thumb

1. Keep it in FRONT of your mind, not in the back of your mind, that the person does not remember.

2 Be creative.

3. Be flexible......... -what works once might not work again. -what works for one person may not work for another.

4. Accept the fact that many persons will never recover despite everything you do!

5. Persons involved in direct caregiving [family members or health professionals] need emotional support to cope with the demands of caregiving.

Jennifer Lewis Ph.D (C) copyright 1994