WEBVTT
00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:05.919
Welcome back to Age Compass, where we're navigating aging and dementia together.
00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:11.679
Today's episode is Help Me Understand Behavior Changes in Dementia.
00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:22.800
Now, when it comes to dementia, a person can experience changes in their behavior and sometimes even changes in their personality.
00:00:23.760 --> 00:00:31.359
Some of these changes can be linked to the areas of the brain that are being affected by the progression of dementia.
00:00:31.679 --> 00:00:39.119
Because as dementia progresses, brain cells become damaged and eventually die.
00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:49.920
So this can leave a person with the same need to communicate, but with less capacity to do that as effectively as they once could.
00:00:50.960 --> 00:01:02.079
Now, having said that, many of the behavioral changes that we might see in a person with dementia are not simply the result of damage occurring in the brain.
00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:08.000
Often it's actually that person's way of trying to communicate something with us.
00:01:08.319 --> 00:01:09.680
How you ask?
00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:12.239
Well, let me explain.
00:01:13.359 --> 00:01:16.480
Firstly, I want you to picture this.
00:01:49.680 --> 00:01:52.480
You had the right to bring attention to yourself.
00:01:52.719 --> 00:01:53.760
You have a need.
00:01:54.000 --> 00:01:55.439
You need a coffee.
00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:58.079
All sounds fair so far, yeah?
00:01:58.640 --> 00:01:58.959
Okay.
00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:05.519
Now let's contemplate what the barista behind the counter might think.
00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:08.240
Oh, that person just yelled at me.
00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:09.840
They are so rude.
00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:17.360
This is how we start to see how two things can be true at the same time.
00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:25.360
The truth of any story is often shaped by the perspective of the person who's telling it.
00:02:25.599 --> 00:02:27.360
So who's right then?
00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:29.280
You or the barista?
00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:31.919
Well, you both are.
00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:39.039
You feel like you were ignored, so you made sure you were seen and heard, so you could order your coffee.
00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:44.240
But the barista's perspective, he's right too.
00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:51.599
He was busy, distracted, and he just didn't scan the whole counter to see who needed help.
00:02:52.240 --> 00:03:01.680
So this is how it can feel for someone who's living with dementia if they've lost the capacity to communicate efficiently.
00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:18.080
Sometimes that person's only way of communicating that they're in distress or discomfort is through yelling, sometimes swearing, or other behaviors that might be interpreted as challenging.
00:03:18.560 --> 00:03:19.199
Why?
00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:26.960
Well, honestly, there could be a thousand reasons why, but a possibility is they felt ignored.
00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:32.000
Just like you might have felt when you imagined yourself in the coffee shop.
00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:44.159
So, in saying that, let me explain a little more about why behaviors that a person might exhibit is such a big deal when it comes to dementia care.
00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:58.719
So, if a person with dementia has to move into care or if they're in hospital, there are a whole lot of records kept, and that helps determine how that person is traveling health-wise.
00:03:59.280 --> 00:04:06.960
There would be bowel charts, continence charts, activity charts, pain charts, and a behavior chart.
00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:17.839
Now the records on a person's behavior chart document what would be considered different behavior to what they would normally display.
00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:30.959
So examples of this might be Jim was aggressive towards staff during AM personal care or Jim refused personal care.
00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:36.079
Sometimes it might be Jim threw his cup at staff.
00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:44.000
Honestly, it could even be documented as Jim hit staff when they tried to administer his medication.
00:04:44.399 --> 00:04:47.279
Now, let me ask you this.
00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:50.560
How are you feeling about Jim right now?
00:04:51.360 --> 00:04:53.519
Honestly, there's no wrong answer.
00:04:53.839 --> 00:05:00.879
You've just heard some things about Jim that might make you a little wary of him, and I don't blame you for thinking that.
00:05:16.160 --> 00:05:18.720
Everybody loves an acronym, don't they?
00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:26.160
Now BPSD stands for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia.
00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:31.680
Now that sounds like it's just an inevitable symptom of dementia, doesn't it?
00:05:32.480 --> 00:05:41.439
Before I go further into that, I'm just going to explain the second truth because two things can be true, can't they?
00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:44.560
So let's find out some more about Jim.
00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:47.920
So Jim woke up at 6 a.m.
00:05:48.160 --> 00:05:48.879
one morning.
00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:52.160
He had had a terrible night's sleep.
00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:55.839
His circadian rhythm is completely out of whack.
00:05:56.079 --> 00:05:59.519
And that is a symptom of his dementia diagnosis.
00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:04.959
Jim normally likes to get up around half past eight, so for him, 6 a.m.
00:06:05.199 --> 00:06:07.120
was a really early morning.
00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:17.439
When Jim wakes in the morning, he takes a little while to orient himself to his surroundings, because he only moved into his care home about four months ago.
00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:21.040
So everything is still very unfamiliar to him.
00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:27.519
Unfortunately, he'd had to leave his home a 50 years because his wife had passed away.
00:06:27.759 --> 00:06:31.199
But he still misses her so much every day.
00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:37.759
So this morning, the care staff had noticed that Jim was awake.
00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:46.480
So they decided this was a great opportunity to get Jim showered and ready for the day before it gets really busy when everyone else is waking up.
00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:52.560
So with the right intention, Sarah, one of his care workers, heads into his room.
00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:53.759
Morning, Jim.
00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:56.560
We'll get you up now and get you to have a shower.
00:06:56.879 --> 00:06:59.199
Remember, right intention.
00:06:59.920 --> 00:07:10.560
From Jim's perspective, though, he's in a strange place and a stranger has just burst into his room talking to him like they know him.
00:07:11.040 --> 00:07:13.920
To Jim, they're a stranger.
00:07:14.480 --> 00:07:16.639
He's instantly on edge.
00:07:17.040 --> 00:07:26.480
Next, Sarah, who'd carefully selected some nice clothes for Jim and popped them on his chair, pulls back his covers, ready to help him get showered.
00:07:26.879 --> 00:07:29.360
Now this is even more confronting to Jim.
00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:31.600
He's actually frightened now.
00:07:32.079 --> 00:07:38.720
His fragmented memory is doing its best to give him answers to what's happening to him.
00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:46.639
But because of his poor night's sleep and his morning disorientation, Jim defends himself.
00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:49.759
Get out, leave me alone, don't touch me.
00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:52.639
Sarah, rightly so, is shocked.
00:07:52.879 --> 00:07:56.000
She steps back and tries to calm Jim down.
00:07:56.240 --> 00:07:57.839
Jim, it's me, Sarah.
00:07:58.000 --> 00:07:59.759
I'm here to give you a shower.
00:08:00.959 --> 00:08:14.720
By this time, though, Jim is so afraid and confused, he reaches for the cup on his bedside table and throws it at Sarah in a desperate attempt to defend himself from this stranger.
00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:22.399
Sarah then leaves the room and Jim pulls his covers back up and tries to make sense of what has just happened to him.
00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:27.439
He's so overwhelmed now, he just can't help but shed a few tears.
00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:32.559
Now, how do you feel about Jim now?
00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:41.759
See what I mean about how two things can both be true from our different perspectives.
00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:48.000
Hopefully, you're all asking now, well, how can we change that?
00:08:48.320 --> 00:08:52.159
How can we support Jim by letting him know he's safe?
00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:56.559
And how can we support Sarah so she doesn't get yelled at again?
00:08:56.879 --> 00:08:57.840
The answer?
00:08:58.320 --> 00:09:00.639
We have to be curious.
00:09:00.960 --> 00:09:02.720
That is honestly it.
00:09:03.519 --> 00:09:08.879
We have to be curious about why someone might be yelling at us.
00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:13.759
Curious about why someone seems agitated.
00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:17.919
Curious about why someone's crying.
00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:23.679
Curious about why someone keeps wandering around the care home.
00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:33.840
Now to do this, we really do need to develop a history of that person so we can genuinely try and get to know them.
00:09:34.639 --> 00:09:45.440
Cause we see a version of them, and that's the version where they're doing their very best every day with damage to their brain from dementia.
00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:50.320
But I promise you it helps to know who they are.
00:09:51.360 --> 00:09:54.240
Dementia doesn't exclude anyone.
00:09:54.559 --> 00:10:19.440
So when a professor who's traveled the world educating people is now nonverbal, unable to use what was to him his biggest asset, his voice, if he's spoken to like he can't understand or spoken about while he's in the room, he's going to feel frustration and potentially lash out.
00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:23.200
Why was the professor getting so agitated?
00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:28.000
Well, when you think about it, his whole world had fallen apart.
00:10:28.320 --> 00:10:33.200
He was lonely, he felt he had no purpose anymore.
00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:36.639
On paper, it was agitation.
00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:40.000
In reality, it was grief.
00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:49.360
When a woman is crying uncontrollably each day, repeating, I've done bad things, I'm a bad person.
00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:53.679
Why was she repeating the same things about herself?
00:10:54.559 --> 00:11:02.559
A past trauma of being forced to adopt out a child had resurfaced and demanded her attention.
00:11:03.039 --> 00:11:06.799
On paper, it was excessive tearfulness.
00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:09.519
In reality, it was trauma.
00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:18.000
Why is a man getting up out of bed every night and wandering the corridors of a care home?
00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:21.519
Well, it was his daily routine.
00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:31.919
While we were all sleeping every night, he'd carry out his job as a security guard, responsible for checking that all doors and windows were locked.
00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:36.960
He'd spent a lifetime making sure everything was safe.
00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:40.320
On paper, it was wondering.
00:11:40.720 --> 00:11:43.840
In reality, it was purpose.
00:11:44.480 --> 00:11:48.879
Is it making more sense now how two things can be true?
00:11:49.759 --> 00:12:02.960
And there are honestly hundreds of examples I could give you, but the point is they were real stories, real people, and to support them, we had to be curious.
00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:12.480
Now the curiosity comes from conversations, conversations with the person, their family, and sometimes their friends.
00:12:12.799 --> 00:12:19.679
We have to get to know them to even begin to understand what they might be trying to tell us.
00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:21.200
And guess what?
00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:32.159
Care becomes so much easier when there's an understanding of the why behind that documented behavior.
00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:40.799
I guess my point is if we only look at keywords on a document, we're missing what's really happening.
00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:44.240
We might be missing what someone is trying to tell us.
00:12:44.639 --> 00:13:01.200
So next time you hear someone described as aggressive, agitated, tearful, or wandering, I'm just going to encourage you to pause before accepting that label.
00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:03.600
Remember the coffee shop.
00:13:03.919 --> 00:13:07.360
Remember that two things can be true.
00:13:08.080 --> 00:13:17.440
Because sometimes what looks like a behavior is actually a person trying their very best to communicate something.
00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:22.960
And if we're curious enough to really listen, we might just hear it.
00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:29.919
This is really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding behavior and dementia.
00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:35.279
And I'll definitely be exploring more of this topic in future episodes.
00:13:35.919 --> 00:13:45.919
Beyond the examples I've shared today, sometimes the simplest place to start is by asking: could it be pain?
00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:48.320
Could it be constipation?
00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:50.320
Could it be boredom?
00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:52.960
Could it be loneliness?
00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:56.879
There is so much that we can learn together.
00:13:57.200 --> 00:14:02.159
I really hope this has helped shed some light on behavior and dementia.
00:14:02.399 --> 00:14:06.159
If you have any questions, please reach out to me.
00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:08.399
Thank you so much for listening.
00:14:08.720 --> 00:14:11.600
Take care and stay curious.
00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:05.919
Welcome back to Age Compass, where we're navigating aging and dementia together.
00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:11.679
Today's episode is Help Me Understand Behavior Changes in Dementia.
00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:22.800
Now, when it comes to dementia, a person can experience changes in their behavior and sometimes even changes in their personality.
00:00:23.760 --> 00:00:31.359
Some of these changes can be linked to the areas of the brain that are being affected by the progression of dementia.
00:00:31.679 --> 00:00:39.119
Because as dementia progresses, brain cells become damaged and eventually die.
00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:49.920
So this can leave a person with the same need to communicate, but with less capacity to do that as effectively as they once could.
00:00:50.960 --> 00:01:02.079
Now, having said that, many of the behavioral changes that we might see in a person with dementia are not simply the result of damage occurring in the brain.
00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:08.000
Often it's actually that person's way of trying to communicate something with us.
00:01:08.319 --> 00:01:09.680
How you ask?
00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:12.239
Well, let me explain.
00:01:13.359 --> 00:01:16.480
Firstly, I want you to picture this.
00:01:49.680 --> 00:01:52.480
You had the right to bring attention to yourself.
00:01:52.719 --> 00:01:53.760
You have a need.
00:01:54.000 --> 00:01:55.439
You need a coffee.
00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:58.079
All sounds fair so far, yeah?
00:01:58.640 --> 00:01:58.959
Okay.
00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:05.519
Now let's contemplate what the barista behind the counter might think.
00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:08.240
Oh, that person just yelled at me.
00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:09.840
They are so rude.
00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:17.360
This is how we start to see how two things can be true at the same time.
00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:25.360
The truth of any story is often shaped by the perspective of the person who's telling it.
00:02:25.599 --> 00:02:27.360
So who's right then?
00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:29.280
You or the barista?
00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:31.919
Well, you both are.
00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:39.039
You feel like you were ignored, so you made sure you were seen and heard, so you could order your coffee.
00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:44.240
But the barista's perspective, he's right too.
00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:51.599
He was busy, distracted, and he just didn't scan the whole counter to see who needed help.
00:02:52.240 --> 00:03:01.680
So this is how it can feel for someone who's living with dementia if they've lost the capacity to communicate efficiently.
00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:18.080
Sometimes that person's only way of communicating that they're in distress or discomfort is through yelling, sometimes swearing, or other behaviors that might be interpreted as challenging.
00:03:18.560 --> 00:03:19.199
Why?
00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:26.960
Well, honestly, there could be a thousand reasons why, but a possibility is they felt ignored.
00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:32.000
Just like you might have felt when you imagined yourself in the coffee shop.
00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:44.159
So, in saying that, let me explain a little more about why behaviors that a person might exhibit is such a big deal when it comes to dementia care.
00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:58.719
So, if a person with dementia has to move into care or if they're in hospital, there are a whole lot of records kept, and that helps determine how that person is traveling health-wise.
00:03:59.280 --> 00:04:06.960
There would be bowel charts, continence charts, activity charts, pain charts, and a behavior chart.
00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:17.839
Now the records on a person's behavior chart document what would be considered different behavior to what they would normally display.
00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:30.959
So examples of this might be Jim was aggressive towards staff during AM personal care or Jim refused personal care.
00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:36.079
Sometimes it might be Jim threw his cup at staff.
00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:44.000
Honestly, it could even be documented as Jim hit staff when they tried to administer his medication.
00:04:44.399 --> 00:04:47.279
Now, let me ask you this.
00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:50.560
How are you feeling about Jim right now?
00:04:51.360 --> 00:04:53.519
Honestly, there's no wrong answer.
00:04:53.839 --> 00:05:00.879
You've just heard some things about Jim that might make you a little wary of him, and I don't blame you for thinking that.
00:05:16.160 --> 00:05:18.720
Everybody loves an acronym, don't they?
00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:26.160
Now BPSD stands for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia.
00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:31.680
Now that sounds like it's just an inevitable symptom of dementia, doesn't it?
00:05:32.480 --> 00:05:41.439
Before I go further into that, I'm just going to explain the second truth because two things can be true, can't they?
00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:44.560
So let's find out some more about Jim.
00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:47.920
So Jim woke up at 6 a.m.
00:05:48.160 --> 00:05:48.879
one morning.
00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:52.160
He had had a terrible night's sleep.
00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:55.839
His circadian rhythm is completely out of whack.
00:05:56.079 --> 00:05:59.519
And that is a symptom of his dementia diagnosis.
00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:04.959
Jim normally likes to get up around half past eight, so for him, 6 a.m.
00:06:05.199 --> 00:06:07.120
was a really early morning.
00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:17.439
When Jim wakes in the morning, he takes a little while to orient himself to his surroundings, because he only moved into his care home about four months ago.
00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:21.040
So everything is still very unfamiliar to him.
00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:27.519
Unfortunately, he'd had to leave his home a 50 years because his wife had passed away.
00:06:27.759 --> 00:06:31.199
But he still misses her so much every day.
00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:37.759
So this morning, the care staff had noticed that Jim was awake.
00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:46.480
So they decided this was a great opportunity to get Jim showered and ready for the day before it gets really busy when everyone else is waking up.
00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:52.560
So with the right intention, Sarah, one of his care workers, heads into his room.
00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:53.759
Morning, Jim.
00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:56.560
We'll get you up now and get you to have a shower.
00:06:56.879 --> 00:06:59.199
Remember, right intention.
00:06:59.920 --> 00:07:10.560
From Jim's perspective, though, he's in a strange place and a stranger has just burst into his room talking to him like they know him.
00:07:11.040 --> 00:07:13.920
To Jim, they're a stranger.
00:07:14.480 --> 00:07:16.639
He's instantly on edge.
00:07:17.040 --> 00:07:26.480
Next, Sarah, who'd carefully selected some nice clothes for Jim and popped them on his chair, pulls back his covers, ready to help him get showered.
00:07:26.879 --> 00:07:29.360
Now this is even more confronting to Jim.
00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:31.600
He's actually frightened now.
00:07:32.079 --> 00:07:38.720
His fragmented memory is doing its best to give him answers to what's happening to him.
00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:46.639
But because of his poor night's sleep and his morning disorientation, Jim defends himself.
00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:49.759
Get out, leave me alone, don't touch me.
00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:52.639
Sarah, rightly so, is shocked.
00:07:52.879 --> 00:07:56.000
She steps back and tries to calm Jim down.
00:07:56.240 --> 00:07:57.839
Jim, it's me, Sarah.
00:07:58.000 --> 00:07:59.759
I'm here to give you a shower.
00:08:00.959 --> 00:08:14.720
By this time, though, Jim is so afraid and confused, he reaches for the cup on his bedside table and throws it at Sarah in a desperate attempt to defend himself from this stranger.
00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:22.399
Sarah then leaves the room and Jim pulls his covers back up and tries to make sense of what has just happened to him.
00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:27.439
He's so overwhelmed now, he just can't help but shed a few tears.
00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:32.559
Now, how do you feel about Jim now?
00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:41.759
See what I mean about how two things can both be true from our different perspectives.
00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:48.000
Hopefully, you're all asking now, well, how can we change that?
00:08:48.320 --> 00:08:52.159
How can we support Jim by letting him know he's safe?
00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:56.559
And how can we support Sarah so she doesn't get yelled at again?
00:08:56.879 --> 00:08:57.840
The answer?
00:08:58.320 --> 00:09:00.639
We have to be curious.
00:09:00.960 --> 00:09:02.720
That is honestly it.
00:09:03.519 --> 00:09:08.879
We have to be curious about why someone might be yelling at us.
00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:13.759
Curious about why someone seems agitated.
00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:17.919
Curious about why someone's crying.
00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:23.679
Curious about why someone keeps wandering around the care home.
00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:33.840
Now to do this, we really do need to develop a history of that person so we can genuinely try and get to know them.
00:09:34.639 --> 00:09:45.440
Cause we see a version of them, and that's the version where they're doing their very best every day with damage to their brain from dementia.
00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:50.320
But I promise you it helps to know who they are.
00:09:51.360 --> 00:09:54.240
Dementia doesn't exclude anyone.
00:09:54.559 --> 00:10:19.440
So when a professor who's traveled the world educating people is now nonverbal, unable to use what was to him his biggest asset, his voice, if he's spoken to like he can't understand or spoken about while he's in the room, he's going to feel frustration and potentially lash out.
00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:23.200
Why was the professor getting so agitated?
00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:28.000
Well, when you think about it, his whole world had fallen apart.
00:10:28.320 --> 00:10:33.200
He was lonely, he felt he had no purpose anymore.
00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:36.639
On paper, it was agitation.
00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:40.000
In reality, it was grief.
00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:49.360
When a woman is crying uncontrollably each day, repeating, I've done bad things, I'm a bad person.
00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:53.679
Why was she repeating the same things about herself?
00:10:54.559 --> 00:11:02.559
A past trauma of being forced to adopt out a child had resurfaced and demanded her attention.
00:11:03.039 --> 00:11:06.799
On paper, it was excessive tearfulness.
00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:09.519
In reality, it was trauma.
00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:18.000
Why is a man getting up out of bed every night and wandering the corridors of a care home?
00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:21.519
Well, it was his daily routine.
00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:31.919
While we were all sleeping every night, he'd carry out his job as a security guard, responsible for checking that all doors and windows were locked.
00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:36.960
He'd spent a lifetime making sure everything was safe.
00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:40.320
On paper, it was wondering.
00:11:40.720 --> 00:11:43.840
In reality, it was purpose.
00:11:44.480 --> 00:11:48.879
Is it making more sense now how two things can be true?
00:11:49.759 --> 00:12:02.960
And there are honestly hundreds of examples I could give you, but the point is they were real stories, real people, and to support them, we had to be curious.
00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:12.480
Now the curiosity comes from conversations, conversations with the person, their family, and sometimes their friends.
00:12:12.799 --> 00:12:19.679
We have to get to know them to even begin to understand what they might be trying to tell us.
00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:21.200
And guess what?
00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:32.159
Care becomes so much easier when there's an understanding of the why behind that documented behavior.
00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:40.799
I guess my point is if we only look at keywords on a document, we're missing what's really happening.
00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:44.240
We might be missing what someone is trying to tell us.
00:12:44.639 --> 00:13:01.200
So next time you hear someone described as aggressive, agitated, tearful, or wandering, I'm just going to encourage you to pause before accepting that label.
00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:03.600
Remember the coffee shop.
00:13:03.919 --> 00:13:07.360
Remember that two things can be true.
00:13:08.080 --> 00:13:17.440
Because sometimes what looks like a behavior is actually a person trying their very best to communicate something.
00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:22.960
And if we're curious enough to really listen, we might just hear it.
00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:29.919
This is really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding behavior and dementia.
00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:35.279
And I'll definitely be exploring more of this topic in future episodes.
00:13:35.919 --> 00:13:45.919
Beyond the examples I've shared today, sometimes the simplest place to start is by asking: could it be pain?
00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:48.320
Could it be constipation?
00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:50.320
Could it be boredom?
00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:52.960
Could it be loneliness?
00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:56.879
There is so much that we can learn together.
00:13:57.200 --> 00:14:02.159
I really hope this has helped shed some light on behavior and dementia.
00:14:02.399 --> 00:14:06.159
If you have any questions, please reach out to me.
00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:08.399
Thank you so much for listening.
00:14:08.720 --> 00:14:11.600
Take care and stay curious.
