How Do You Calm Down Someone with Dementia? – 2024

Dementia is a mental condition that attacks the most important parts of our brain, affecting our behaviors and other cognitive abilities. People with this condition fail to get any reasoning and explanations. They can be aggressive at times because they constantly fight with their memory. It is disheartening to see somebody going through a difficult time, especially if they are your old parents. Here comes the right knowledge of dementia that can save your time.

When it comes to caring for your aging parents, you shouldn’t take any risks and would like to offer the best. There are certain conditions where you have to keep up your patience to deal with them. Remember that their sudden changes in behavior are all because of dementia, so you shouldn’t be upset with them.

Tricks to Cool Down People with Dementia

These are some wise ways to keep a track of your parents or other senior members who are fighting dementia every day. All you have to do is to keep your cool throughout.

1. Hear them out 

The first and most consistent thing is to listen to the patients. What are they doing, and what are they trying to communicate through their actions is very important. You have to watch out for specific patterns in them and decipher what they want to convey. Many dementia patients suffer from what we call hallucination so they don’t know what is reality and what is a figment of imagination.

Try to be sensitive and most importantly sensible towards such situations. You may, however, come across anxiety and panic-related issues in them as well. Handle with care so that the situation doesn’t go out of your hands.

2. Divert their Attention 

If you want to cool down the situation instantly, then you can try to change the topic that is bothering them. Suppose they are irritated with the process of brushing teeth, and say that they are not going to do that, you don’t need to force them, rather talk about their favorite food or music. This way their attention will be shifted and the thing that has been bothering them will not be there anymore. They will take some time, but they will be pacified soon.

3. Don’t Be Judgemental 

They are the victim of the situation so you shouldn’t be judgmental toward them. Try to capture the essence of the situation and act like a friend who can listen to their agonies. You can always try to be a cool and calm person when it comes to dementia patient handling.

Whatever they say, don’t stop them or express your opinion about the same. Be a nice person to accept whatever they are doing, and talk to them in a peaceful way without telling which is right and which is wrong. The main thing to focus on is to make sure that the patient is comfortable around you. Or else they can hide things from you so prepare yourself to be a kind human being who doesn’t judge.

4. Encourage Physical Exercise 

Keep them entertained and engaged with some regular activities of Yoga or fitness regime. This will take care of so many aspects at the same time that you will not regret the decision. If this becomes a practice that is good for them. But, make sure they are not causing any physical pain to them. You can talk to a fitness expert for the same reason. This will be helpful for their psychological issues as the happy hormone will keep them in a good mood.

5. Introduce Them To New Things 

Keeping them always busy with something so that they wonder and find happiness in new things is a good way to control their emotional quotient. The moody behavior and irrational attitudes will be curtailed to a great extent if you can keep on introducing them to something to their liking.

It is easier said than done so caregivers are always on a difficult journey for them. But if you can show love and try your best with these wise solutions then dementia patients will live a good quality of life. There will be disappointments and heartbreaks, but those will ensure that better days are coming with the silver linings.