One of the biggest blocks to changing challenging dementia behaviors that don't make sense to us is labeling them.

For example, say your mom won't bathe, sometimes for weeks. This behavior doesn't make sense to you, but no matter how much you beg and plead and ask, 'why won't you let me help you take care of your hygiene' the answer is a big no.

Add to that mom's inability to communicate what she wants or needs to make her comfortable getting into the tub, and this scenario becomes the catalyst for anxiety and overwhelms both of you. And the need for hygiene doesn't change, so you are stuck in the cycle.

So, what can you do?

Listen in as I share the biggest block to changing difficult dementia behaviors and how you can take the first step to find a response that works so you can move past the behavior more quickly and with less fatigue for both parties.

In this Episode:

[00:30] - The biggest block to changing challenging dementia behaviors.

[00:55] - Dr. Edmonds shares a story of a Careblazer that labeled a behavior and how that made things worse.

[02:50] - Why introducing strain into the relationship makes it difficult for the person with dementia to accept your care in the future.

[03:03] - Step one in the Behavior Changer Program: identify the actual behavior.

[03:10] – Why identifying the behavior that is actually happening helps uncover the meaning behind it.

[03:52] - What the Careblazer from the example story learned to better help her mother.

[04:19] - A lot of times in dementia, the person's not able to clearly communicate what they want or need, so they do behaviors that don't make sense to us.

[04:45] - Asking the right questions to determine why your loved one won't bathe.

[05:56] - How you can trade your emotion-based thinking for logic-based thinking for less stress and frustration

[06:43] - How to open yourself up so you can discover the correct response to solve the situation.

[07:38] - The right questions can help you move past the behavior by solving what's at the heart of it.

Links and Resources:

Dementia Careblazers

Careblazers TV

Dementia Careblazers Blog

About Careblazers with Dr. Natali

Join the Dementia Care Club

Download the Careblazer Survival Guide

Email the Careblazers