What to look for?
Irritability/Frustration | Common Signs- Is quick to anger during conversations (e.g. flies off the handle easily)
- Gets upset easily by mistakes, memory Memory
The ability to process information that requires attention, storage, and retrieval. problems, or other difficulties - Becomes upset or angered by things that seem trivial
- Becomes defensive or blames others when things don't go right
- Snaps at others for no apparent reason
- Is argumentative or difficult with others
- Is critical of others
- Provokes arguments with others
- Is bothered easily by others' behaviours
- Becomes annoyed by noise or a crowd of people
- Gets upset if rushed or if there is a change in routine
- Is often cranky or moody
Irritability/Frustration | General Description
Some people with dementia become easily frustrated or irritable, particularly at each reminder that their abilities Abilities
Level at which certain actions and activities can be carried out. are declining. They become upset when they have memory Memory
The ability to process information that requires attention, storage, and retrieval. problems and when they are unable to complete tasks and can also become frustrated because they need assistance with tasks they used to be able to do independently. The reason for this is not usually based in memory loss, but not being able to control their emotions.
The person with dementia may resent the caregiver, and may become angry and irritated because they dislike being told what to do. This agitation and resentment can present itself as argumentative behaviour and criticism of others. Commonly they also lack insight into why caregivers are trying to control their environment. It is helpful if the caregiver learns to detect the early signs of frustration/agitation. Often, this can prevent the irritability from developing into an act of aggression, as sometimes can happen.
In today's busy world, keeping track of symptoms can be a challenge to say the least. That's why we've developed SymptomGuideTM. By taking a more active role, you can better understand how a symptom is affecting everyday life and you can communicate this knowledge to others involved.
