Tips to Help Calm an Emotional Parent with Dementia

Caring for an elderly parent with dementia can be challenging, especially when they become agitated or anxious. Depending on the severity of your parent’s dementia, the frequency of those agitated times can increase as they continue to age. Here are some tips to help deescalate these situations when they occur.

Create A Calming Environment

Try to create a calm and relaxing environment for your parent. Keep the room quiet and free of distractions, and use soft lighting if possible. If they are in a memory care facility and sensitive to sounds, speak to the administration about room placement. A room further away from main social hubs (i.e., lunchroom) could be helpful in creating a calm environment.

Gentle and Calming Touches

It may seem like a small thing but sometimes your aging parent might just need to know you are there through a simple touch. Touch can be soothing for many people, especially those with dementia. Hold your parent’s hand, give them a hug, or stroke their arm or back.

Reassure Their Safety

People with dementia often become anxious because they feel confused or disoriented. Reassure your parent that they are safe and loved, and try to explain what is happening in a calm and clear manner.

Test Out Familiar Objects

A familiar object, such as a favorite blanket or stuffed animal, can help your parent feel more secure and calm. It might seem adolescent but the familiar object might offer an anchor for them to feel secure in a chaotic situation.

Distract or Redirect

When your parent becomes agitated, try to distract them with an activity or task they enjoy. This could be anything from looking at photos to folding laundry or doing a puzzle. Redirecting their attention from what is causing them stress to a task that they are still familiar with can calm the situation.

Try To Avoid Creating Confrontation

Avoid arguing with your parent or trying to force them to do something they don’t want to do. This will only increase their agitation and anxiety.

Remember that every person with dementia is different, so it may take some trial and error to find what works best for your parent. You can also ask the memory care staff for tips since they work with residents suffering from dementia daily.