Disruptive Behaviors

90% of individuals diagnosed with some form of dementia experience disruptive behaviors at some point in the progression of the illness. These usually refer to aggression (verbal or nonverbal) or sexual disinhibition, and pose a significant challenge to caregivers as they increase stress and contribute to burnout. They can also lead to the prescribing of unnecessary medication and decrease overall wellness and life quality for the individual and carer.

Braun & Kunik (2004) explored two case studies involving two different individuals, Mr. X and Mrs. Y, with progressed dementia expressing the same disruptive behavior of screaming. After making sure that nothing had changed with their medications, diet, or biological markers, care staff discovered the underlying causes of the yelling. Noticing Mr. X rubbing his knees, they gave him pain medication, which eased the discomfort he could not verbally express and thereby curbed his disruptive behavior. Finding Mrs. Y’s hearing aids in a place other than her ears, care staff found she ceased screaming once they were returned to her and she could listen to her surroundings properly.

These cases demonstrated that approaching care from a person-centered approach and addressing deeper underlying causes is one effective and graceful way of dealing with disruptive behaviors in individuals with dementia.

Access this article: Behavioral disturbances in dementia: Finding the cause(s).