Coping with Repetition Caused by Dementia

According to the Alzheimer’s Association repetition is common in individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia, often in association with a person’s desire to seek comfort or security. My heart goes out to the many family caregivers who must listen to the same statement, question or story 20 times in one hour because a parent or spouse has some form of dementia. Short-term memory loss makes it impossible for dementia patients to remember what they just said, so they say it again and again and again. Anyone who has been in this situation will tell you there’s a limit to how many times you can muster a genuine response. It’s enough to drive a person mad. So, what can dementia caregivers do about these seemingly endless loops?

Exercise Understanding

Try to understand that your loved one isn’t repeating stories or questions to irritate you. Your loved one’s brain is damaged, and they can’t remember asking you what time their doctor’s…

Continue reading on Agingcare for tips on how to cope with this sad but irritating tendency:

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Check out Dr. Leslie Kernisan’s free training webinar How to Help Resistant Aging Parents and consider joining this amazingly supportive group! Better Health While Aging presents Helping Our Older Parents:

Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories. “For anyone having to walk the last segments of life with a loved one, read this.” …Delores