| Abuse of any kind is difficult to deal with. | | | | caregivers are knowledgeable about |
| Types of verbal abuse can include the | | | | Alzheimer's disease and know how to handle |
| following: | | | | patients with dementia. |
| | | | |
| - Does your loved one ignore your feelings? | | | | One way to deal with the situation before it |
| | | | becomes a big problem is to try humor. You |
| - Is he disrespectful? | | | | cannot control how your loved one is acting |
| | | | but you can decrease the feelings of |
| - Does he withhold approval, appreciation or | | | | frustration by controlling how you respond. |
| affection? | | | | Try to validate your loved one's feelings; it |
| | | | will definitely help him. Many times, people |
| - Does he walk away without answering you? | | | | with Alzheimer's are so frustrated that they |
| | | | act it out through verbal abuse and |
| - Does he criticize you, call you names or | | | | aggression. Put yourself in his place. It is |
| yell at you? | | | | very frustrating! |
| | | | |
| - Does he humiliate you in public or in the | | | | The most important thing you have to remember |
| privacy of your home? | | | | is not to talk "down" to your loved one |
| | | | because he is still a person with an entire |
| - Does he tell you that you are too | | | | life history of success and independence. If |
| sensitive? | | | | you see that what you are trying to do or say |
| | | | to him is not working, just let it go for a |
| - Does he destroy furniture or punch holes in | | | | while, step out of the room and come back |
| the walls? | | | | later. Let your loved one calm down and |
| | | | relax. You may want to try music. Studies |
| These are some of the signs, but there are | | | | have shown that Alzheimer's patients often |
| many more that may be observed. Abuse is | | | | find music relaxing. |
| difficult to deal with if the abuser has | | | | |
| Alzheimer's disease since the abuser can't | | | | Finally, if you still feel overwhelmed, join |
| really control it. | | | | a support group that specifically deals with |
| | | | verbal abuse and learn how to cope with it. |
| If a person with Alzheimer's becomes verbally | | | | Many times other people in the group will |
| abusive, it may be because he is suffering | | | | have experienced the same ordeal with their |
| from depression or aggressive behavior caused | | | | loved ones. Group members may be able to |
| by the disease. In this case you might want | | | | counsel you on how they coped or dealt with |
| to involve your doctor and let him know the | | | | this kind of behavior. |
| situation. He may be able to prescribe an | | | | |
| anti-depressive medication or simply change | | | | This group will also help you to deal with |
| the current medication. You may want to take | | | | your emotions and frustrations. They will |
| a break from your loved one, as sometimes | | | | tell you how to control them, and once you |
| caring all the time for the same person can | | | | are able to deal with your own feelings, then |
| be exhausting. Or you can try to place your | | | | you will be more effective coping with your |
| loved one in an adult day care, or hire some | | | | loved one's behavior. |
| professional help. Make sure that substitute | | | | |