Defy Dementia Episode 26: Coping with Challenging Behaviours
In 2021, Diana De Faveri’s life turned “upside down, real fast” when her mother was diagnosed with corticobasal syndrome, a rare form of dementia. As a sole caregiver, she took care of her household, her business, her parents, and her parents’ home. She recounts this difficult and stressful time in her life, sharing the lessons she’s learned and her thoughts on why it’s so important to seek help and support. Dr. Nicole Didyk, Clinical Assistant Professor at McMaster University, geriatrician, internist, passionate patient and family education advocate and creator of The Wrinkle — a YouTube channel and website for older adults and their families — shares tips on how to navigate challenging behaviours, in the face of dementia. Tune in at defydementia.org, or anywhere you get your podcasts.
Key Messages:
- People living with dementia commonly exhibit challenging new behaviours, like wandering, paranoia, restlessness, pushing, and/or resistance to care.
- Caregivers may take these behaviours personally but it’s important to remember, “it’s the disease, not the person.”
- These behaviours are often a reaction to an unmet need, hence the term “responsive”.
Key actions
- First priority is always to be safe and try to keep people living with dementia safe.
- People living with dementia may say or do inaccurate or distressing things, don’t correct them, try to connect emotionally with them instead.
- Look for clues from the person’s past to understand triggers and limit responsive behaviours.
- As a caregiver, look after your own wellbeing and remember, you can’t do it alone.
Additional Resources:
Learn more about our guests
Diana De Faveri is a 56-year-old entrepreneur who was raised to do everything on her own, from housecleaning to vehicle maintenance and everything in between. Diana details the various challenges she faced while caring for her mother, how it took months for a proper diagnosis of her condition, along with the many trials and errors in her medications. In 2021, her mother received a formal diagnosis of corticobasal syndrome.
Dr. Nicole Didyk, MD, MHSc (Ed), FRCP(C) is a Clinical Assistant Professor at McMaster University, and a geriatrician and internist who has been in practice in Waterloo Region, Ontario for almost 25 years. After completing her training at McMaster University, she focused her clinical work on dementia and falls. When her passion for patient and family education needed an outlet, she completed a Master’s in Education and started The Wrinkle – a YouTube channel and website dedicated to giving older adults and their families the information they need to navigate the changes of aging with vitality and determination.