There may come a time when your parent exhibits bad behavior that you have a difficult time coming to terms with. Even when you dearly love your parent, they may sometimes drive you crazy. Usually the bad behavior is a result of sickness or a disease like dementia, but this isn’t always the case.

Some caregivers report that their mother was always selfish, controlling and mean and that it’s just getting worse as she ages. It’s unfortunate but it happens sometimes. It still means you need a strategy for dealing with the behavior. Some of the difficult behaviors caregivers encounter include changes in personality, temper tantrums, hallucinations, bad language, anger, losing temper and so on.

Hopefully you will be able to find something to help you during this tough time. Getting help from an in-home care service is one way to give you a break from the bad behavior. A caregiver can come in and take care of your parent for a few days each week or even full-time. Here are a list of other strategies you can try:

1. Offensive language, swearing or rude comments: this is really hard to deal with from a parent who used to be mild, proper-mannered and never cursed. It can happen when medications have adverse reactions or during the progress of dementia. This can be hurtful as well as embarrassing. Sometimes you can distract them with something they enjoy doing or start talking to them about their old memories. If they do have Alzheimer’s they will remember things from long ago.
2. Refusing to shower. It can be so frustrating when your parent won’t shower and won’t change into clean clothes. The personal hygiene just slides downhill. This can be a symptom of depression or even control. Because the elderly loved one has lost control in almost every other area of their life, they use control to determine whether or not to shower. Usually the more people ask them to do it, the more they will resist because that’s where the power comes in. Or they may have fear of slipping in the tub. See if you can determine the cause and you will know better how to help.
3. Anger, rage and yelling. These emotions can intensify in elderly people because they may be venting their own frustrations with a body that doesn’t do as much as it used to and their loss of independence. Alzheimer’s disease can also bring these on as part of the personality changes that often occur.

The best thing you can do to preserve your emotional health is try not to take any of it personally. Even though the comments are often directed at you, they are usually not meant personally for you. It is the frustration talking, or the Alzheimer’s talking. It isn’t the person you know and love talking.

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring home care services near Greer SC, contact Heart of the Carolinas Home Care at 864-991-3116.

Providing Home Care Services in Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Anderson, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Seneca, Laurens,Charleston, Columbia and the surrounding areas.

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Edward Harrison

Founder at Heart of the Carolinas

Edward Harrison founded the Heart of the Carolinas Homecare in 2007 when he saw there was a need for caregivers that provide non-medical home care services, at a price that most people could afford. It was standard in the industry to require hourly minimums and it was common to be assigned a caregiver, not matched with one based on your individual personal needs. Edward understood that to make a successful relationship between caregiver and client, skills were not enough, personality and compatibility plays as much a role as do skills.

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