Agitation & Anxiety

The 24 sources listed below are individually rated by how they can help caregivers better understand and deal with agitation & anxiety in people with Alzheimer's disease or dementia.

Sources are ranked from highest to lowest.
ALZSmart Score™ - Extraordinary90%

Coping With Behavior Change in Dementia: A Family Caregiver's Guide

Beth Spencer and Laurie White

Pages 18-24

Geo Location: All

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

11 bullet points examining possible physical, medical, and emotional causes of anxiety, agitation, anger, and aggression; followed by 9 strategies to try to reduce behaviors.  5 environmental causes and strategies.  There are also many communication strategies; plus staying safe.  
Coping With Behavior Change in Dementia:  A Family Caregiver's Guide
ALZSmart Score™ - Excellent85%

Dementia Care Notes

Geo Location: All (IN)

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

Extensive, organized, and well researched article on handling behavior challenges.
Handling Behavior Challenges
ALZSmart Score™ - Excellent85%

A Caregiver's Guide to Dementia

Laura N. Gitlin, PhD and Catherine Verrier Piersol, PhD, OTR/L

Pages 50-53

Geo Location: All

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

Defines mild and severe agitation.  Has 29 bullet points on common triggers.  11 strategies for preventing agitation.  19 bullet points on what to do if the person with dementia becomes upset.
A Caregiver's Guide to Dementia
ALZSmart Score™ - Very Good75%

WebMD

Geo Location: All

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

Begins with 4 bullet points on keeping safe.  That's followed by 20 bullet points on emotional triggers and other possible causes.  Finally, there are 27 tips on how to prevent future problems.
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ALZSmart Score™ - Very Good75%

WebMD

Geo Location: All

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

Begins with looking at 6 signs of anxiety.  That's followed by about 40 questions that may help find triggers and possible reasons for anxiety.  Finally, there are 25 tips to try that may help reduce anxiety.
Alzheimer’s Disease and Anxiety
ALZSmart Score™ - Very Good75%

A Caregiver's Guide to Dementia

Laura N. Gitlin, PhD and Catherine Verrier Piersol, PhD, OTR/L

Pages 87-89

Geo Location: All

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

Discusses 8 common triggers for anxiety.  19 bullet points on strategies to help manage fears and suffering.
A Caregiver's Guide to Dementia
ALZSmart Score™ - Good65%

UCLA Alzheimer's and Dementia Program

Xavier E. Cagigas, PhD

Geo Location: All

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

[Video 5:46]  Scenario-based video that shows agitation towards a caregiver.  The video has four parts:  an example of a common response, expert explanation, recommended reponse, plus 6-8 tips for dealing with aggression.
Agitation and Anxiety
ALZSmart Score™ - Good65%

Patients Engage

Neha Sinha, CEO Epoch Eldercare

Geo Location: All (IN)

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

Starts with a couple of scenarios and focus on agitation from the patients point-of-views.  Has 13 bullet points of possible triggers.  Concludes with 7 tips on how the handle or prevent agitation.
Handling Agitation in Dementia
ALZSmart Score™ - Good65%

Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias: The Caregiver's Complete Survival Guide

Nataly Rubinstein, MSW, LCSW, C-ASWCM

Pages 213-217

Geo Location: All

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

General description of anxiety and some of the root causes.  Has a list of 10 suggestions for coping.  Also discusses the 'big four' in anxiety:  food, shelter, clothing, and family.
Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias:  The Caregiver's Complete Survival Guide
ALZSmart Score™ - Good65%

Confidence to Care (aka Home Instead)

Molly Carpenter

Pages 32-37

Geo Location: All

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

Briefly examines why agitation and anxiety happens.  Has 18 bullet points for care approaches.  
Confidence to Care (aka Home Instead)
ALZSmart Score™ - Good65%

IONA

Bill Amt, LICSW

Geo Location: All

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

Offers 9 bullet points that describes possible causes.  Lists 6 physical signs of anger to be aware of in the person with Alzheimer's.  Has 4 bullet points on the caregiver's ways of expressing anger.  15 bullet points on healthy ways to deal with anger.
How to Manage Your Anger When Caring for Someone with Dementia
ALZSmart Score™ - Good60%

Dementia Australia

Geo Location: All (AU)

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

Examines causes and lists a dozen frequent triggers for agitation behaviors.  Has 10 bullet points to help avoid agitation.  Also 3 tips on dealing with agitated behaviors.
Agitated Behaviours
ALZSmart Score™ - Good60%

Surviving Alzheimer's (2nd Edition)

Paula Spencer Scott

Pages 173-177

Geo Location: All

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

Begins with an example to illustrate agitated behavior.  Describes possible causes using 6 'why' factors.  The 'try' section includes 5 bullet points.  Then there are 5 tips on how to avoid agitated responses.
Surviving Alzheimer's (2nd Edition)
ALZSmart Score™ - Good60%

The Dementia Caregiver

Marc E. Agronin, MD

Pages 144-145

Geo Location: All

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

Written from the view point of a geriatic psychiatrist.  Examines the symptoms of anxiety.  Reviews some of the challenges of treating the symptoms of anxiety in person with dementia.  Also discusses mediations for treating anxiety.
The Dementia Caregiver
ALZSmart Score™ - Average50%

Elder Care Online

Rich O'Boyle, Editor

Geo Location: All

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

Has a general overview followed by a list of 6 stressors can trigger agitation behaviors.  Ends with 4 bullet points on what can be done to manage agitation.
Management of Agitation Behavior
ALZSmart Score™ - Average50%

VeryWell Health

Geo Location: All

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

Show some statistics on the prevalence of agitation in dementia.  Next, discusses how to respond to agitation by investigating the cause and individualize the approach.  Also has 4-6 suggestions addressing unmet needs.
Responding to Agitation in Dementia
ALZSmart Score™ - Average45%

National Institute on Aging (ADEAR)

Geo Location: All (US)

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

There are 11 bullet points on the causes for agititation or aggressive behavoirs.  Also includes 11 tips for coping with agitation or aggression.  Plus there is a one minute video.
Coping with Agitation and Aggression in Alzheimer's Disease
ALZSmart Score™ - Average45%

The 36-Hour Day (6th Edition)

Nancy L. Mace, MA and Peter V. Rabins, MD, MPH

Pages 178-180

Geo Location: All

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

Explains some of the inexplicable causes agitation.  Adds context to the specific agitation response.
The 36-Hour Day (6th Edition)
ALZSmart Score™ - Average45%

Veteran's Affairs

James Rudolph, MD

Geo Location: All (US)

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

[Video 6:01] Centered around a hypothetical example of a caregiver dealing with agitation.  Shows what not to do, then shows an example of a preferred approach.  Explores 4 bullet points of causes.  Has 3 bullet points that frame the preferred approach.
Dementia with Agitation
ALZSmart Score™ - Average40%

Alzheimer's Association

Geo Location: All

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

Offers 5 bullet points on possible causes.  Has 5 tips to help prevent or reduce agitation.  8 bullet points of how to respond.
Anxiety and Agitation
ALZSmart Score™ - Satisfactory25%

Dementia Care Central (National Institute on Aging)

Geo Location: All (US)

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

Also in includes 6 tips for handling emotional distress (near the middle of the web page) and 5 tips for handling behavioral challenges (near the bottom of the web page).
Anxiety and Clinging
ALZSmart Score™ - Satisfactory25%

Daily Caring

Ben Atkinson-Willes

Geo Location: All

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

Provides 5 tips on reduce agitation by modifying the environment.
Reduce Dementia Agitation With a Calm Environment:  5 Helpful Tips
ALZSmart Score™ - Satisfactory25%

D4Dementia

Geo Location: All

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

Uses the story of a close family member to describe and explain the issue of agitation in a loved one.  Examines the caregiver unwittingly projecting anxiety.
Supporting a Person With Anxiety
ALZSmart Score™ - Fair15%

Learning to Speak Alzheimer's

Joanne Koenig Coste

Pages 123-124

Geo Location: All

ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents

Brief discussion with two paragraphs on anxiety.
Learning to Speak Alzheimer's

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