Managing Behavior Changes in Alzheimer’s

From the Alzheimer’s Disease Education & Referral Center

Managing Behavior Changes in Alzheimer’sAlzheimer’s disease can change how a person acts over time. You may see behaviors like:

  • Getting upset, worried, and angry more easily
  • Acting depressed or not interested in things
  • Hiding things
  • Wandering


Caregivers may not be able to stop these changes, but there are ways to cope. Read about them in our tip sheet Managing Personality and Behavior Changes. This tip sheet is available to download as a PDF and an e-Book (both ePub and MOBI formats).

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#Caregivers—learn how to cope with common behavior changes in ppl w/ #Alzheimers http://1.usa.gov/1NvRy4X

Related Online CEU Courses:

Alzheimer’s Caregiver Guide and Tips on Acute Hospitalization is a 1-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that offers strategies for managing the everyday challenges of caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease and includes tips on acute hospitalization.

Alzheimer’s Disease Progress Report: Intensifying the Research Effort is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that reviews basic mechanisms and risk factors of AD and details recent research findings.

Alzheimer’s Disease – Overview is a 1-hour online CEU course that provides an overview of the prevalence, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and progression of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as information about caregiving and caregiver support.

Caring for a Person with Alzheimer’s Disease is a 3-hour online CEU course that discusses practical issues concerning caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease who has mild-to-moderate impairment, including a description of common challenges and coping strategies.

Alzheimer’s: Unraveling the Mystery is a 3-hour online CEU course that describes the risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, effective steps for prevention, strategies for diagnosing and treating Alzheimer’s disease, and the search for new treatments.

Professional Development Resources is approved to offer continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR); the California Board of Behavioral Sciences; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology & School Psychology, Dietetics & Nutrition, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board; the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs; and by theTexas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists and State Board of Social Worker Examiners.

Holiday Hints for Alzheimer’s Caregivers

By the National Institute on Aging

Holiday hints for Alzheimer’s caregiversHolidays can be a wonderful time to visit and reconnect with family, friends, and neighbors for people with Alzheimer’s and caregivers. Balancing special holiday activities with everyday care for a person with Alzheimer’s disease may also seem overwhelming. Here are some tips for making things a little easier:

  • Set your own limits, and be clear about them with others. You don’t have to do everything you used to do.
  • Encourage friends and family to visit even if it’s difficult, but limit the number of visitors at any one time.
  • Explain to guests ahead of time that memory loss is the result of the disease and is not intentional.
  • During the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, be sure to take care of yourself. Guard against fatigue and find time for adequate rest.

For more tips on how to prepare ahead of time and find a good balance during the holidays, download Alzheimer’s Caregiving Tips: Holiday Hints. This free tip sheet is available as a PDF and an eBook.