In this podcast, Teresa shares more knowledge on the huge misunderstanding of “Behaviors” in Dementia Care. She strongly believes it's often misunderstood and leads to overmedication when loved ones show aggression or use inappropriate language. Instead of aggression, Teresa believes the inappropriate language and combativeness can indicate pain, fear and/or anxiety which these individuals are simply attempting to communicate with what they have left. Caregivers and Care Partners should act as "detectives," working to understand the unmet needs behind the behavior rather than trying to control or correct the person. She cautions against using antipsychotics as a quick fix and mentions that inexperience can lead caregivers to unintentionally escalate situations.

You will find helpful examples in this episode and promise to share a link to the two-page Start/Stop Tool. Here is the link: t.ly/vXwMh

You Got This!!! Teresa