Should you tell someone with dementia that they are repeating themselves?

2. Stay calm: Focus on preventing frustration and arguments. Try to remember that repetition is a common part of memory loss and we cannot do much to change it. The person is unaware that they are repeating themselves, so it is not helpful to say to them, “you already told me that.”
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How do you stop a dementia patient from repeating?

How to respond
  1. Look for a reason behind the repetition. ...
  2. Focus on the emotion, not the behavior. ...
  3. Turn the action or behavior into an activity. ...
  4. Stay calm, and be patient. ...
  5. Provide an answer. ...
  6. Engage the person in an activity. ...
  7. Use memory aids. ...
  8. Accept the behavior, and work with it.
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What should you not say to someone with dementia?

7 Things Not to Say to Someone with Dementia (and What to Say...
  • “You're wrong” ...
  • “Do you remember…?” ...
  • “They passed away.” ...
  • “I told you…” ...
  • “What do you want to eat?” ...
  • “Come, let's get your shoes on and get to the car, we need to go to the store for some groceries.” ...
  • “Her dementia is getting worse.”
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Should you tell someone with dementia the truth?

So when we hear about using therapeutic fibbing to lie to someone with dementia, it might seem cruel and wrong at first. But always sticking to the truth, especially about an emotional subject or something trivial, is more likely to cause your older adult pain, confusion, and distress.
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What to say to someone who keeps repeating themselves?

People Who Repeat Because They Love Talking

They're on the extroverted side and enjoy talking, so their best stories are told again and again. One way to handle a repeat storyteller like this is to say: “That is a really great story, I agree. I've heard it so many times now I feel like I could tell it myself.”
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Why Do People with Dementia Repeat Themselves? (3 Reasons)



What stage of dementia is repetition?

Verbal repetition is common in individuals at all stages of dementia but is most frequently identified as a symptom of use to track in individuals with mild dementia. It was selected as a symptom to track in approximately half of all respondents and two-thirds of those with AD.
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What is wrong with someone who repeats themselves?

One sign of the aging brain, even without dementia, is that people repeat themselves more often, especially when they tell stories. There are reasons for this that are not related to dementia, though of course with dementia, this tendency has a different root and is much more frequent.
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Do dementia patients realize they have dementia?

Families often ask “are dementia patients aware of their condition?” In some cases, the short answer is no, they're not aware they have dementia or Alzheimer's.
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Why do dementia patients lie so much?

Seniors living with dementia are aware their memory is slipping away, and this leads to a great deal of confusion and turmoil. Many times, lying is just an unconscious defense mechanism called confabulation, which means your loved one is unconsciously replacing his or her lost memories with false ones.
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How do you make someone with dementia happy?

Continue reading to find out some suggestions of activities to do with you loved ones living with dementia and Alzheimer's.
  1. Exercise and physical activity. ...
  2. Reminisce about their life. ...
  3. Engage them in their favourite activities. ...
  4. Cooking and baking. ...
  5. Animal therapy. ...
  6. Go out and about. ...
  7. Explore nature. ...
  8. Read their favourite book.
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What goes on in the mind of a person with dementia?

Symptoms of dementia can include problems with planning and decision-making, language, and sometimes changes in mood or behaviour. These changes in mental abilities may be small to start with, but become more noticeable. It's important to know the difference between normal ageing and dementia.
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Should I tell my mother she has dementia?

Although you may dread telling her, it might serve a form of relief for her to openly talk about her disease and the life issues she is facing. Additionally, withholding the truth about a diagnosis of Alzheimer's or dementia could lead to paranoia later and cause a breach of trust between your mom and yourself.
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What are the 6 stages of dementia?

Stages of Dementia
  • Stage 1: Independence. At first, people who have dementia want as little interference from their family and friends as possible. ...
  • Stage 2: Uncertainty. At some point, uncertainty will set in. ...
  • Stage 3: Follow the leader. ...
  • Stage 4: Clinginess, or clingy dementia. ...
  • Stage 5: Overnight care. ...
  • Stage 6: Fulltime care.
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What does it mean when a person repeats the same thing over and over?

Common Repeating in OCD

Repeating may be done to assuage a fear. Someone may repeat something they were saying to the themselves over and over because they were are worried it didn't come out correctly. They may repeat themselves to a person they were speaking to, worried that they did not understand.
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Can a person with dementia be manipulative?

In fact, a person with dementia may not realize they're lying. Manipulation is often the root behavior for trust, control, and security. Manipulative behavior can be used to fulfill one of these needs, and sometimes it's a cry for help.
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What is confabulation in dementia?

Confabulation is defined as the spontaneous production of false memories: either memories of events that never occurred or memories of actual events which are displaced in space or time.
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What can cause dementia to get worse?

other long-term health problems – dementia tends to progress more quickly if the person is living with other conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure, particularly if these are not well-managed.
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What are signs that dementia is getting worse?

increasing confusion or poor judgment. greater memory loss, including a loss of events in the more distant past. needing assistance with tasks, such as getting dressed, bathing, and grooming. significant personality and behavior changes, often caused by agitation and unfounded suspicion.
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When should dementia patients go into care?

"Someone with dementia symptoms may forget where they've walked, and end up somewhere they don't recognize," Healy says. "When your loved ones are continually putting their physical safety at risk, it's time to consider memory care." 3. A decline in physical health.
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Do dementia patients do better at home?

Do Dementia Patients Do Better at Home? The biggest advantage of home care is that it allows elders to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. This option is far less disorienting for a dementia patient than a move to an assisted living facility, a memory care unit or a nursing home.
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Why do elderly repeat stories?

On Aging and Being Repetitive

Added years give us a chance to reflect on our past from a distance and provide a unique point of view that only elders can fully understand and appreciate. Recounting old stories is one way that many seniors work through this process.
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What does repeating yourself mean?

Definition of repeat oneself

: to say again what one has already said.
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What time of day is dementia worse?

When you are with someone who has Alzheimer's disease, you may notice big changes in how they act in the late afternoon or early evening. Doctors call it sundowning, or sundown syndrome. Fading light seems to be the trigger. The symptoms can get worse as the night goes on and usually get better by morning.
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How do you know what stage of dementia you are in?

Stages of Dementia
  1. No impairment. Someone at this stage will show no symptoms, but tests may reveal a problem.
  2. Very mild decline. You may notice slight changes in behavior, but your loved one will still be independent.
  3. Mild decline. ...
  4. Moderate decline. ...
  5. Moderately severe decline. ...
  6. Severe decline. ...
  7. Very severe decline.
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How long can an 80 year old live with dementia?

Life expectancy is less if the person is diagnosed in their 80s or 90s. A few people with Alzheimer's live for longer, sometimes for 15 or even 20 years. Vascular dementia – around five years.
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