Research shows there are various reasons why an individual with dementia may develop apathy. One belief is that apathy develops overtime in response to the hardships of living with dementia. When living with dementia, simple daily tasks require more effort and time for completion. This can often be upsetting to the individual diagnosed with dementia, impacting their confidence or leading to feelings of embarrassment.
This can lead many individuals to shut down, go within, and passively allow others to complete needed task. This is often the starting point of feeling isolated from others and activities of enjoyment. When these symptoms present, it is best to provide uplifting support and motivation as a prevention tactic.
Apathy may be caused by areas in the brain that impact motivation making daily motivational support a needed priority. As an individual moves through the later stages of dementia you may notice no motivation for task completion and if they do manage to get started may become overwhelmed and easily give up. These symptoms tend to show up earlier in individuals diagnosed Dementia with Lewy Bodies, Parkinson Disease Dementia, and Frontotemporal Dementia.
If you have questions about dementia and apathy, please reach out to Normandale Center and ask to speak with a care consultant at: info@normandalecenter.org
Normandale will be hosting a workshop on December 14th, “Understanding and Responding to Dementia Related Behavior” led by the Alzheimer’s Association. Please join us to learn more about strategies and resources to assist with symptoms.
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