Agitation Outbursts & the Alzheimer's Patient

When caring for a loved one who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, the complications associated with mental and emotional health can be overwhelming for many families. From depression to extreme episodes of exhilaration and happiness, many Alzheimer's patients are simply unable to control their emotions as they once did.

A behavior that is quite common among Alzheimer's patients is commonly referred to as agitation outbursts. Symptomatically, agitation encompasses a complication wherein the Alzheimer's patient will scream, shout, pace back and forth, and curse for unknown reasons. Often, it is the agitation outburst episodes of the Alzheimer's patient that result in the most frustration for friends and loved ones.

While commonly believed to be associated to the side effect of medication administered to the Alzheimer's patient, agitation outbursts can result from any event that is deemed frightening or stressful to the Alzheimer's patient. Such agitating events might include moving to a new home, changing of caregivers or just a simple change to the dynamics and arrangement of the home in which the Alzheimer's patient lives.

When agitation in the Alzheimer's patient is related to an event or change in lifestyle, usually the episodes of outburst will dwindle with time. However, when the complication is persistent and related to a side effect of medication, it is important to speak with a health care professional to determine what, if any, treatment can be provided to alleviate the complication and frequency of agitation outbursts in the home.

When in the middle of an outburst, families and caregivers can learn simple techniques to alleviate agitation in the Alzheimer's patient. For example, re-directing their attention to another object, offering re-assurance, and using calming and positive reinforcement speech are all ways in which the agitation outbursts can be diminished.