One sign of the aging brain is repeating things more often, especially stories and questions. There are reasons for this that are not related to progressive conditions like dementia, but in either case, repetition tin go old very quickly. Even the most experienced and patient family caregivers occasionally struggle to hibernate their frustration. While there is no easy set up for this trying side effect of aging, a change in attitude and some proven strategies can help you lot keep your absurd and preserve your loved 1's nobility.

On Aging and Existence Repetitive

Equally we age, our perspective on life changes. In that location'due south a human need to make sense of what has happened in one's past and to contemplate what one's legacy will exist. Added years give usa a chance to reflect on our past from a distance and provide a unique point of view that merely elders tin fully understand and appreciate. Recounting onetime stories is one mode that many seniors work through this procedure. Sharing experiences with those we love helps us derive meaning from our successes, failures, joys and hardships. This is also the way countless generations have secured their legacy—by passing downwardly lessons learned and words of wisdom.

If an crumbling loved one retells the same stories every now and then, and you think to yourself, "I've heard that a hundred times!" please have the patience to let them go along. They may exist working through the by to find a sense of meaning. Whether it's consciously or unconsciously, elders often want to figure out how these events shaped their present and will play into their time to come.

When family members and friends understand the importance of an elder retelling personal stories, they tend to be more tolerant of the repetition. Furthermore, it's important to realize that just because an elder repeats some things doesn't necessarily mean they have dementia. Their minds may not be every bit sharp or fast as they used to be, but some rumination and forgetfulness isn't unusual in elders.

Coping with Repetition Caused past Dementia

According to the Alzheimer'southward Association repetition is common in individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer'southward or dementia, oftentimes in association with a person'due south desire to seek comfort or security. My heart goes out to the many family unit caregivers who must listen to the same statement, question or story xx times in one hour considering a parent or spouse has some class of dementia. Short-term retentiveness loss makes it impossible for dementia patients to call up what they but said, so they say it again and again and once more. Anyone who has been in this situation will tell you that there'southward a limit to how many times y'all tin can muster a genuine response. Information technology's plenty to drive a person mad. And so, what can dementia caregivers practise about these seemingly endless loops?

Exercise Understanding

Try to sympathise that your loved one isn't repeating stories or questions to irritate you lot. Your loved 1's encephalon is damaged, and they tin't recall request you lot what time their doctor's appointment is at or telling you that they need more tissues at the grocery shop, then these things happen over and once more. If yous understand the reason behind repetitive beliefs, yous volition likely find you tin can better control your irritation and be more than patient.

I rarely advise comparing elders and children considering I feel that besides much of this can skew our thinking, but in this instance, information technology can be enlightening. Rather than using this comparison to justify treating a senior like a child, use it to alter your attitude and expectations. Children echo things often to meliorate grasp and memorize new data. Most people are very understanding of this learning procedure and children's express capabilities. Seniors with dementia may exist repeating words and behaviors in their ain quest to grasp or understand data.

We have more patience for younger individuals because they are growing mentally and we know that their questions and one-track statements will eventually wane. Information technology follows and then that we feel that this behavior is inappropriate for seniors who have clustered decades of noesis and experience. Even so, the truth is that dementia patients' worlds do not make sense. Repetition may be an attempt to process information, understand stimuli, or express a business organization. Information technology's likely that dementia behaviors such as repetition go worse over time, so mastering empathy and cocky-command is paramount for dementia caregivers.

How to Deal with Repetition and Dementia

Dementia can cause patients to say and believe some pretty incredulous things, and many caregivers struggle with how to handle them properly. Depending on how a caregiver reacts, a patient may become fearful, paranoid, depressed, angry or even violent. Navigating these situations is particularly difficult and takes a great deal of practice, merely in that location are three specific techniques that are recommended for coping with difficult dementia behaviors: validation, distraction and redirection. On their own, these strategies are useful, but when a caregiver tin learn to use them all together, it's a gamechanger.

The Validation Method for Dementia Patients

Validation simply refers to hearing out what a person is maxim or feeling and responding in a supportive and empathetic mode. Rather than reorienting a patient to reality or refuting their warped perception of things, you acknowledge their version and gently dispel whatever anxiety or discomfort they may be experiencing.

For case, if your loved one says the grass in the front end one thousand is blue, what does it hurt if you agree with this argument rather than debate that information technology'south actually light-green? An appropriate validating response might be, "Yes, it does wait kind of blue from this angle." Acquiescing doesn't affect anyone negatively and your elder doesn't end up feeling similar they're always wrong. Just proceed in mind that validation is not tantamount to shrugging off the things a care recipient says.

Validation normally works, but Alzheimer'due south disease and other forms of dementia are unpredictable conditions. Null ever works 100 percent of the time. It becomes more difficult to practice validation when an elder'southward thoughts are causing a great deal of anxiety or agitation. For example, during a sure stretch of my dad's dementia, he thought in that location was a war taking place in our town considering he'd seen news footage of a foreign conflict on Television set. I had i heck of a time treatment this persistent mirage. I apparently couldn't but concord with him and say there was a war here, because he was frightened. Instead, I entered his version of reality, acknowledged his concerns, explained that the violence was non taking place in our firsthand expanse and assured him of his safety. I promised him that I wouldn't allow anything happen to him. Somewhen, he let it go. In these scenarios, we caregivers end up repeating ourselves, too, which can be exasperating. But nosotros practice what nosotros must to keep our loved ones at-home and content.

Distraction from Repetitive Thoughts

The next footstep is to try to distract your loved 1. Afterward the 2nd or 3rd repetition, try irresolute the topic of give-and-take. Mention their grandchildren and what they have been up to. Talk about an old friend who has done something interesting recently. Use anything yous can think of to pique their interest and change the subject field. Depending on the extent of a loved one's memory problems, they may non remember these things you bring up, but information technology tin help them break out of the loop they are defenseless in.

Redirecting Someone with Dementia

Closely related to distraction is redirection. Sometimes irresolute the subject area isn't totally effective, so many caregivers redirect their loved ones' attention to a different activity that they tin can focus on. The point is to provide an culling selection that will interruption the loop and keep an elder fully engaged.

Crafts, chores, snacks, watching movies or recordings of sometime Television set shows, and listening to CDs of their favorite music are particularly constructive. Old photo albums are first-class for redirection as well. Just endeavor to use an album that contains photos from the distant past rather than more than recent pictures. A dementia patient's short-term memory is usually very weak and sometimes presenting them with documentation of recent events they do not remember can exist upsetting. Long-term retentiveness stays intact longer throughout the grade of the illness, and then older photographs tend to be a safer bet. Point out people in the pictures and ask your loved one to explain who they were. The chances are very adept that they will remember the photos and may fifty-fifty entertain you with a related story.

Have a Deep Breath

I don't mean to minimize the irritation that arises from elders repeating the same questions and stories from their youths. I also don't want to imply that looking at an old photo album will solve the problem. Still, these steps practice work for most people, almost of the fourth dimension. Remember that validation is valuable and kind whether dementia is present or non. It is oft worth your while to carve out a few minutes to distract and redirect. Keeping a loved one engaged will meliorate their quality of life and proceed your efforts from condign too dull. If you lot discover yourself getting overwhelmed, but footstep into another room for a few moments, take a few deep breaths and then effort once again.