Behaviour and personality can often change in people living with dementia, and they can act in ways that are very different from their “old self” which can be hard for family, friends and carers to deal with.
This usually happens because a person is losing neurons (cells) in parts of their brain and the behaviour changes often depend on which part of the brain is losing cells.
Common personality and behaviour changes you may see include:
- Getting upset, worried, and angry more easily
- Acting depressed or not interested in things
- Hiding things or believing other people are hiding things
- Imagining things that aren’t there
- Wandering away from home
- Pacing a lot
- Hitting out at other people
- Misunderstanding what he or she sees or hear
This can lead to people experiencing:
- An absence of interest in or concern about emotional, social, spiritual, philosophical or physical life- Depression and withdrawal
- Loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy.
- An inability to control their emotions.
- Helping a person with dementia with mood changes can be challenging for the people caring for them.
Introducing Hcsuk’s FREE Guide to Help You Make Life More Meaningful For People Living With Dementia
Our 'How To Live Well With Dementia' guide is designed as a holistic resource for you including helpful information on the main symptoms of dementia, recognition of the challenges you could be facing and the consequences, best practice advice, hints, tips on how to manage these symptoms.
Our guide also offers a range of our product solutions which can help you to meet the needs of the person living with dementia.
This guide explores:
- Loss of Appetite
- Difficulty Eating
- Dehydration
- Managing Falls
- Sundowning
- Memory Loss
- Communication
Our top recommended product solutions here to help with mood changes are:
Empathy Dolls – helps encourage emotional wellbeing because they trigger affection, trust and the natural care instinct.
Companion pets – help enjoyment of a better quality of life by reducing social isolation, loneliness, depression and psychotropic drugs.
Sorting and activity boxes – help to calm agitations, stave boredom and prompt meaningful conversations.
Fiddle muff – a tactile and multi-sensory comforter designed to help relieve tension.
Large Piece Reminiscence Jigsaws – encourage interaction and stimulate beneficial brain activity.
Rummage boxes – are ideal to help people reminisce and participate in themed activities they enjoy.
Image source: Canva
