What Are Dementia Behaviors?

Dementia is the loss of the ability to think.

People suffering from dementia gradually loses their ability to think and reason. While not every person diagnosed with dementia will experience the same set of symptoms, certain behaviors are common.

Early Behaviors

The patient may repeat the same story over and over, have trouble managing finances and display mood and personality changes. (Ref. 2.)

Early Concerns

Fear will often cause a person with dementia to hide that he is having a problem. Be patient and aware. (Ref. 2.)

Middle-Stage Behaviors

A person may become disoriented and begin to have coordination problems. She will likely lose her ability to drive and have increasing difficulty caring for her personal needs. (Ref. 2.)

Middle-Stage Concerns

Wandering and falls may become an issue. Make sure that doors are secure and install grips on showers and baths. (Ref. 1.)

Later-Stage Behaviors

The patient's ability to care for himself will continue to erode, as will his memory and reasoning. Eventually, he may be incontinent, unable to speak and bedridden. (Ref. 2.)

Later-Stage Concerns

Abi V. Rayner, M.D., M.P.H, writing in American Family Physician, states that for caregivers of latter-stage patients, psychotic behaviors such as aggression, delusions and hallucinations become more of a problem than the patient's cognitive difficulties. (Ref. 3.)

References

• Dementia Care Practice Recommendations for Professionals
• The Eldercare Handbook; Stella Henry; 2006
• The American Family Physician