What Is Shadowing?
Shadowing is when people with Alzheimer's
disease or another type of dementia constantly follow their caregivers around.
They may mimic him, walk wherever he goes, and become very anxious if the
caregiver tries to spend any time away from them.
Why Do People with Dementia Shadow Their
Caregivers?
Often,
shadowing appears to be driven by the person's anxiety and uncertainty. They
may feel like their caregiver is the one safe and known aspect of life, almost
like a life preserver. The minute the caregiver walks into a different room,
goes outside or shuts a door to use the bathroom, the person with Alzheimer's
may become afraid, unsure and upset.
Why Is Shadowing Thought of as a Challenging
Behavior?
While
shadowing isn't one of the more typical challenging behaviors such as
aggressiveness or paranoia, it can present a significant challenge. Caregivers
dealing with shadowing often report a feeling of claustrophobia, where they're
constantly with their loved one and never allowed to do anything alone. Even
taking a shower without interruption can be a challenge for a caregiver.
How Can Caregivers Cope with Shadowing?
One way
to reduce the frustration of being constantly followed around is to remind
yourself that your family member is afraid and anxious. How you interpret their
behavior (as a result of fear instead of as purposely trying to irritate you)
can make all the difference.
For
example, one gentleman I knew felt like his wife was trying to control his
every action and interaction because she was continuously following him around
and wouldn't even let him work in the garage alone. While this behavior was
extremely frustrating, his perception of her acting this way in order to
control him made things worse.
Recognizing
shadowing as a reaction to anxiety and confusion can help provide extra energy
to respond to it.
Additionally,
it is imperative that you as a caregiver find a way to escape periodically.
Even the most dedicated, loving and patient caregiver needs a break. To protect
your emotional well-being, allow yourself some private time to take a shower or
take some deep breaths. You can set a timer and remind your loved one that
you'll be back when the timer sounds.
Maybe a
neighbor will take a walk with your loved one, or a respite caregiver can spend
a couple of hours with your loved one while you go to a support group. Is there
another family member or friend who can regularly visit? You may also want to check
on adult day care centers that have programs for people with dementia. Whatever
it is, taking some kind of time off can refill your emotional energy and allow
you to continue to care for your loved one well.
How Can Shadowing Be Reduced?
1. Meaningful
Activities
One way
to reduce shadowing is to involve your loved one in engaging and meaningful
activities. These don't have to be structured activities with a group of people
in a facility setting. Rather, they can be right in your own home, and can be
part of a reassuring daily routine. The key is for the activities to be
meaningful for that person so that they capture her attention, thus reducing
her obsession with you. For example, your loved one could fold clothes or
towels daily, or work on a jigsaw puzzle.
For
more information about meaningful activities, here's an article that lists
several ideas: Ideas for Meaningful Activities for People with Dementia
2. Snacks
The
Alzheimer's Association in New York recommends "cereal therapy" or
"gum therapy"- where you give the person some food to snack on or gum
to chew to occupy them. Of course, make certain the snack you choose is not one
that would be likely to cause choking.
3. Music
You can
also give the person headphones with a recording of their favorite musical
selections to listen to, or even make a recording of yourself speaking to your
loved one to reassure them. Music benefits many people with Alzheimer's, and
the familiarity can be calming and relaxing.
You are
invited to visit the online Forum to share ideas with other caregivers for
coping with some of the challenging behaviors of dementia.
(Source:
about.com, Alzheimer’s/Dementia)
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