Understanding symptoms

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Dementia can affect a person's personality, mood and behaviour. Learn more about understanding and supporting a person who is experiencing these changes.

Understanding symptoms

These resources provide caregivers and service providers with tips and strategies for supporting people living with dementia who are experiencing changes in their mood, personality and behaviour.

Changes in mood and behaviour

Apparent changes in the personality of the person living with dementia can be a major source of distress both to the person who is experiencing the symptoms and to those who support them.

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Understanding symptoms: Changes in mood and behaviour

Delusions and hallucinations

Hallucinations and delusions are symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. With hallucinations or delusions, people do not experience things as they really are.

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Understanding symptoms: Delusions and hallucinations

Repetitive behaviours

Understand why a person living with dementia may be repeating the same action, again and again, and learn how to manage this behaviour.

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Understanding symptoms: Repetitive behaviours

Restlessness or "sundowning"

When someone becomes confused, anxious, upset, or restless consistently later in the day (usually late afternoon or early evening), this is called sundowning.

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Understanding symptoms: Restlessness or "sundowning"

Sexual behaviour

Dementia does not change the need for love and affection. It can, however, affect a person’s interest in sex, either increasing or decreasing it.

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Understanding symptoms: Sexual behaviour