Are Alzheimer’s Patients Manipulative?

It’s not uncommon for caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s to feel like they’re being manipulated. Many of the behaviors of dementia can seem like manipulation. The caregivers often feel as though their loved one is intentionally trying to manipulate them or uses selective memory to get what they want. It may seem impossible to believe anything else because their behavior is so unusual.

While it may seem like intentional manipulation, deceitfulness, or selective memory, people with dementia usually aren’t able to think through the complexities required to manipulate those around them. That being said, as they begin to lose their memory, patients with Alzheimer’s will often fill in the gaps with “lies” or change parts of the story because they’re unable to remember what actually happened.

Inappropriate Behavior

With Alzheimer’s, it is the short-term memory that goes first. But there are patients who have mixed dementia and different parts of their brain is affected. If a patient has frontotemporal dementia, then the area of the brain that filters behavior is affected. As a result, the patient may do or say things that are socially inappropriate. Those with loved ones suffering from Alzheimer’s often describe their behavior as that of a child.

Alzheimer’s patients lose cognitive skills in addition to their memory loss which can make it difficult for them to think logically. In early stages, they also realize they are losing parts of their memory which can add to their frustration and cause emotional outbursts as well. While they likely aren’t being intentionally manipulative, their behavior can be frustrating and even hurtful.

Are You Having Trouble Caring For Someone With Alzheimer’s?

It’s important, when caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, to practice empathy and try not to take it personally when they experience hurtful behavior from their loved one. Try to avoid arguments and seek help if you continue having difficulty with your loved one.

Get Assistance from the Leading Home Care Providers in Wichita, KS

Call (316) 691-5050 and talk to one of our staff at Progressive Care. We are one of Kansas’s largest home care providers and offer daily 24-hour living assistance, including nighttime watch and personal assistance.