Try: Calmly discuss the situation with the cr let the cr know what actions and behaviors are annoying to others discuss possible solutions for example if others are annoyed when the cr bites his or her nails suggest that you clip and file them for him or her or suggest that the cr bite his or her nails only in the bathroom

Materials: Pen pencil notebook

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Communication, Emotional Psychological

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: Annoy annoying agitate irritate aggravate distress disturb trouble worry

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Keep your voice normal and soothing try to help the cr relax stand out of reach of the cr keep harmful objects out of the cr’s living space if you feel you may be harmed take a break and leave the cr until he or she is calm if the serious aggression persists and you feel you are in danger call out for help and dial 911

Materials: n/a

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Emotional Psychological

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: Aggressive hostile destructive anger offensive

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Remind the cr that you are there to help and will take his or her problems seriously sit down and listen to what the cr has to say the cr needs to know that he or she is being heard many times that will help dissolve the situation entirely if there is still frustration from the cr ask the cr to repeat the problem while you take some notes repeating the issue again can help release it read the notes back to the cr and discuss the problem agree on a mutually beneficial solution to the problem discuss how accusative behavior can be avoided in the future when similar situations come up

Materials: Notebook pen and pencil

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Communication, Emotional Psychological, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: Accusation accuse blame guilty offense blame complain charge frustration upset

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: When feeling defensive with the cr remind yourself that you are the caregiver and make sure you are calm before you respond make sure you are not bringing any outside emotions into your response to the cr once you have gathered your thoughts sit down with the cr and discuss the situation in a kind and direct manner work together to come up with a mutually beneficial solution for example the cr feels that the cg is not available when needed the cg agrees to adjust his or her schedule to accommodate the cr

Materials: n/a

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Communication, Emotional Psychological, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: Accusation accuse blame guilty offense blame complain charge

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Remove things in the cr’s environment that can be misinterpreted as something else like patterned wallpaper or bright contrasting surfaces or objects increase lighting to reduce the number of shadows coming into a room reduce glare in rooms remove or cover mirrors with a white bed sheet if the cr seems bothered by them keep as much of the cr’s environment the same don’t let the cr to watch violent movies or television programs don’t argue with the cr about a fantasy he she is having talk to the cr about his her feelings when they are having a fantasy respond to the emotions the cr is feeling during a fantasy don’t respond to the factual or fictional content of the fantasy

Materials: Extra lamps for rooms window blinds or shades white bed sheet

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological

Information: n/a

References: Adapted from doug russell suzanne barston and monika white 2007 alzheimer’s behavior management managing common symptoms and problems available at

Keywords: Fantasies sees things hears things imagines things hallucinates delusions

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Keep in mind that the cr may have forgotten that he she must pay for things in a store put a self adhesive name tag on the cr when he she goes out that says i am memory impaired make a wallet sized card that says i am memory impaired and tell the cr to keep it in his her wallet when he she goes shopping make sure the cr has the card with him her when they go shopping this may help the cr feel less embarrassed when they do take something without paying for it

Materials: Self adhesive name tag wallet sized card index card black marker pen

Categories: Sage, Topic, Behavior Challenging, Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological, Legal

Information: n/a

References: Adapted from alzheimer alzheimer’s association 2011 unpredictable situations available from www alz org

Keywords: Shoplifting steals things challenging behavior difficult behavior

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Ask the cr if he she is in pain or is physically uncomfortable ask the cr how he she is feeling if the cr is feeling down suggest an activity that he she would enjoy doing check the cr’s hearing or hearing aids for proper fit and make sure batteries work

Materials: n/a

Categories: Sage, Topic, Behavior Challenging, Cognitive Intellectual, Communication, Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical, Hearing, So-So Hearing, Poor Hearing

Information: n/a

References: Adapted from rich o’boyle 2000 managing agitation behavior in alzheimer alzheimer’s patients available at www healingwell com

Keywords: Screams screaming difficult behavior challenging behavior hearing hearing loss pain

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Refuses to eat try playing music that the cr likes during meal time to increase the amount of food the cr eats refuses to bathe try playing the cr’s favorite music during bath time experiment with playing music the cr likes at times when they are usually agitated

Materials: Tapes of cds of cr’s favorite music

Categories: Sage, Topic, Behavior Challenging, Cognitive Intellectual, Communication, Emotional Psychological, Maintenance

Information: n/a

References: Adapted from rich o’boyle 2000 managing agitation behavior in alzheimer alzheimer’s patients available at www healingwell com

Keywords: Eating bathing difficult behavior challenging behavior agitated

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: It may be that the cr doesn’t recognize who the cg is try approaching the cr slowly and make sure the cr can see the cg clearly explain why the cg is there and what the cg is going to do for the cr use short simple statements like ‘i’m going to help you take your coat off ‘ if the cg doesn’t explain things the cr may feel he she is being attacked and the cr may continue acting mad and defensive

Materials: n/a

Categories: Sage, Topic, Behavior Challenging, Cognitive Intellectual, Communication, Emotional Psychological, Maintenance, Cognitive Awareness, Somewhat Aware, Long-Term Memory, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: n/a

References: Adapted from the alzheimer scotland – action on dementia national office 1991 understanding and dealing with challenging behaviour available at

Keywords: Aggressive aggressive behavior challenging behavior mad angry upset

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Try to anticipate the cr’s needs before the he or she acts out this may prevent the cr from becoming mad or frustrated try to determine what may be causing the cr to be mad and frustrated and then try to come up with an intervention to deal with it for example the cr may be frustrated because you locked the door so that he or she couldn’t wander off try to go for a walk outside of the house or in the yard to calm the cr down

Materials: n/a

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Cognitive Intellectual, Communication, Emotional Psychological, Maintenance, Medical Physical

Information: n/a

References: Adapted from the alzhe imer scotland – action on dementia national office 1991 understanding and dealing with challenging behaviour available at

Keywords: Aggressive aggressive behavior challenging behavior mad angry upset frustrated

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed