The Dementia Journey · A free resource from Caring Companions

What Might This Behavior Be Communicating?

Behavior is communication. When something hard keeps happening, a few written notes reveal patterns that memory alone misses: the time of day, the empty stomach, the loud room. Keep this somewhere handy and jot entries when you can. Three or four entries are often enough to spot a pattern.

The one firm rule: if the behavior is a sudden, significant change from their normal, that is a medical question. Call their healthcare provider today and say, "This is a sudden change from her usual self." For stroke signs, unresponsiveness, trouble breathing, or immediate danger, call 911.

Entry 1

What happened just before? (time of day, place, who was there, what was going on)

What did they do or say?

What might they have needed? (pain, fear, hunger, bathroom, temperature, tiredness, too much noise, control)

What helped?

What made it worse?

▢ This was sudden or new for them ▢ I should contact their healthcare provider

Entry 2

What happened just before?

What did they do or say?

What might they have needed?

What helped?

What made it worse?

▢ This was sudden or new for them ▢ I should contact their healthcare provider

Entry 3

What happened just before?

What did they do or say?

What might they have needed?

What helped?

What made it worse?

▢ This was sudden or new for them ▢ I should contact their healthcare provider

After a few entries, look across them: Same time of day? Same room? Same trigger? Bring this sheet to the next doctor's visit; patterns like these are gold to a good clinician.