Changes in Behaviour

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  Mood and behaviour changes
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  Anxiety

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  The 6Rs Response for distressing reactions

  Remain calm - Respond to their feelings - Reassure the person - Remove yourself momentarily (if appropriate) - return later - Re-engage with the person
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  The 5Ds for Distressing Situations

  Defuse - Delay - Divert (or Distract) - Depart - Detach

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  The impact of childhood trauma on a person living with dementia

  In this webinar, we are joined by Doctor Monica Cations (psychologist and Senior Research Fellow at Flinders University) and Meg Schwarz (project coordinator for older Forgotten Australians at Helping Hand Aged Care), discussing how the impacts of psychologically traumatic events can continue into late life and affect the experiences of a person with dementia. They also cover strategies for people with dementia and their care partners to manage the ongoing effects of traumatic stress and maintain a sense of safety and autonomy.
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  Changed behaviours: webinar

  In this webinar, Scientia Professor Henry Brodaty AO explains the behaviour changes experienced by some people who live with dementia. The video will help you understand the varying experiences, how behaviour changes as the disease progresses, and strategies, options and support services available.
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  Changes in behaviour and staying social with dementia: webinar

  In this webinar, Associate Professor Michelle Kelly from the University of Newcastle discusses how dementia affects social skills and social engagement. You will learn: what causes changes in social functioning in people living with dementia; what impacts these changes have on social engagement; and how to help someone with dementia stay socially engaged.
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  Understanding hallucinations and delusions: webinar

  In this webinar, Dementia Support Specialist Lucie Munzarova discusses how hallucinations and delusions can impact a person living with dementia and simple strategies that can support someone experiencing these symptoms. You will learn: what hallucinations and delusions are; how these may impact someone who is living with dementia; and strategies to support a person experiencing hallucinations and delusions.

• The Dementia Guide by Dementia Australia

  Publication Date: 2024; edited 2025

  For people living with dementia, their families and carers. The Dementia Guide is an important resource for any person impacted by any form of dementia, of any age. This resource contains information about the impact dementia may have on a person, the treatment, support and services they may need. It is available to read online, download as a pdf, listen to an audio version or request a print copy.

• Understanding Behaviour in Dementia That Challenges, Second Edition by Ian Andrew James

  Publication Date: 2017

  With a particular emphasis on non-pharmacological approaches, this book details the range of behaviours common in individuals with dementia, along with the most effective assessment and treatment techniques for health care professionals.
• These three things: A Guide for Navigating the Dementia Journey by Lisa Jenkins

  Publication Date: 2024

  These Three Things takes everyday situations (dressing, hygiene, meals, etc.) and looks at them from the perspective of a person with dementia with the goal of improving communication between patient and caregiver and minimizing undesirable behaviors. Each scenario is clearly outlined, followed by three practical action steps that a caregiver can utilize to solve the problem at hand, regardless of where the person is in their dementia journey.
• A Caregiver's Guide to Dementia by Laura N. Gitlin and Catherine Verrier Piersol

  Publication Date: 2014

  The strategies featured in this guide have been used by the authors in their research studies and reflect approaches and techniques that families have found to be most helpful to understand and effectively respond to the changes brought about by dementia.
• Responsive Dementia Care by Helen Buell Whitworth; James A. Whitworth

  Publication Date: 2018

  Dementia-related behaviors are common with all types of dementia but often start early with Lewy body dementia (LBD). Most experts recommend the use of non-drug options prior to resorting to behavior management drugs which, especially with LBD, can and often does cause other problems. Responsive dementia care is a method for doing this. It uses understanding of how the brain works coupled with empathy, acceptance and a wide variety of alternative therapies to avoid, decrease and/or defuse these difficult behaviors.
• Reducing the Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias by Jackie Pool

  Publication Date: 2018

  This innovative new book sets out practical guidance for people with dementia, their families and carers on reducing the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias and shows how therapeutic cognitive rehabilitation techniques can be used to reduce symptoms of dementia and ultimately improve quality of life for people living with dementia. Covering topics such as nutrition, stress, communication, memory and sleep, it provides all the tools and information necessary to build a personalised and flexible self-care plan which will improve and sustain quality of life. By clearing away the myths and stigma surrounding dementia, this book creates room for cooperation, creativity and hope.
• Teaching Empathy and Conflict Resolution to People with Dementia by Cameron Camp; Linda Camp

  This guide for professional and family caregivers demonstrates how to facilitate positive relationships for peaceful living. By understanding the cognitive and physical challenges that older adults with dementia face, caregivers can practice empathic care that affords people with dementia increased freedom of expression and independence. Included here are techniques for conflict resolution that enable people with dementia to be active and self-initiating in times of distress and disruption. Looking at the basics of respect, empathy, and mindfulness, this book also provides hands-on training for employing these virtues in practice with a number of exercises to help achieve the goal of peaceful independent living.
• The Validation Breakthrough by Naomi Feil; Vicki de Klerk-Rubin

  Publication Date: 2014

  Stories, ideas, directions, and information about the Validation Method and the respect, fulfillment, and human connections it creates. The Validation Breakthrough has helped thousands of professional and family caregivers improve their relationships with residents and loved ones with dementia.
• When Reasoning No Longer Works by Angel Smits; Randall J. Bjork (Foreword by); Derek Botten (Narrated by)

  Publication Date: 2019

  Written by a Gerontologist with more than 20 years of experience, this gives the reader an easy to understand view of what dementia does to the brain, how it is diagnosed, and most importantly, how to deal with its effects. Bulleted lists clearly explain: How to avoid a catastrophic reaction ; Specific approaches for aggressive behavior ; How to deal with disruptive behaviors ; Ways to diminish wandering ; What to do when a wanderer is missing ; When to look for outside help
• A Guide for Family Carers: Dealing with Behaviours in People with Dementia

  Publication Date: 2014

  This guide is for family carers providing care for a person with dementia. It includes practical information about how to support a person experiencing behaviours and psychological symptoms of dementia.
• BPSD Textbook: Addressing behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia by Colm Cunningham and Madeleine Healy

  Publication Date: 2024

  Improve understanding and support for people experiencing behaviours and psychological symptoms of dementia. From laying a foundation of the types of dementia, the BPSD Textbook addresses holistic assessment, understanding causes of changes in behaviour, issues of care, medical effects, the role of medication, and the importance of individually tailored psychosocial interventions. Meeting the need for a high-quality, comprehensive educational text addressing BPSD, this book is ideal for the aged care workforce, allied health professionals and registered nurses seeking to develop their knowledge and inform their practice.

• CAUSEd: effective problem solving to support well-being

  The CAUSEd problem-solving tool is designed to help carers shift focus from seeing behaviours as 'difficult' or 'challenging' and understand how physical and social environments contribute to responsive behaviours. Report by Garrie O'Toole Alzheimer's Australia Vic.
  O'Toole, Garrie (2017) CAUSEd: effective problem solving to support well-being, Australian Journal of Dementia Care, 6(1), p.15-16

• Weighted blanket factsheet by Flinders University

  Information about how weighted blankets may assist with sleep, agitation, and stress. Links to the article: Weighted blankets as a sleep intervention: a scoping review (2024).

• Positive behaviour support for individuals with dementia : a family education workbook by Frontier University of Sydney

  Publication Date: 2022

  The purpose of this workbook is to provide families information on common behaviour changes presented by individuals with dementia, and to introduce general principles of behaviour support that can be utilised within community settings. This workbook is adapted from the educational resource of the FAB-Positive Behaviour Support program (Fisher et al., 2018),

• Understanding changed behaviours: online learning / Dementia Training Australia

  Increase your knowledge of caring for a person experiencing dementia-related changed behaviours and explore how people with dementia may express their needs through behaviour, rather than words.
• D-Esc: Virtual Reality De-escalation Training / Dementia Australia

  D-Esc is a Dementia Australia workshop that provides virtual reality (VR) de-escalation training for a behavioural emergency, designed for staff caring for people living with dementia. This course combines VR experiences with engaging discussions and classroom learning over a 3-hour session. By integrating cutting-edge technology with traditional interactive methods, participants gain deep insights and practical knowledge in a balanced and dynamic learning environment.
• Caring for People Who Wander

  Carers of people with dementia who wander and live in the community have reported that they experience anxiety and burden associated with the fear that the person with dementia could become lost or injured while walking independently. Dementia Training Australia (DTA) has this free online training for carers of people living with dementia.