Managing Challenging Behaviours and Daily Tasks for People with Dementia

Navigating dementia at home can feel overwhelming, especially when changed behaviour and distress starts to affect everyday life. At Caremark North Hertfordshire and Stevenage our teams support families in Letchworth, Stevenage, Hitchin, Knebworth and Royston with clear, compassionate guidance on managing challenging behaviours and daily tasks for people with dementia. We focus on dignity, safety and independence bringing calm and reassurance to your home.

We know that challenging behaviours are rarely “just behaviour” these are often signals of unmet needs, confusion, pain or anxiety. Our approach blends expert knowledge with human kindness, giving families easy-to-follow strategies on how to deal with the challenging behaviours in a way that reduces distress and promotes comfort. With thoughtful planning and reliable home care dementia services, we help you manage routines, keep life familiar, and make each day feel more doable.

Changed behaviours and their triggers

These can occur without warning and be out of character for the individual prior to dementia. They can be frightening and exhausting to everyone involved. These include:

• Aggression – physical and / or verbal, including shouting, kicking and hitting.
• Restlessness – agitation, pacing, generally anxious or distressed
• Wandering – leaving home going to a specific place or a no specific place.
• Resistance to care – refusing personal care, medication, etc.
• Aggression – physical and / or verbal, including shouting, kicking and hitting.
• Hallucinations – seeing or talking to people who are not there, or talking about things that are not real.

Triggers to aggressive behaviours in dementia

• Medical – Pain, constipation, dehydration, infections like urinary tract infection (UTI)
• Unmet needs – feelings of loneliness, fatigue, frustration, communication difficulties.
• Environmental – unfamiliar surroundings, routine changes, low lighting, busy spaces, noise can trigger challenging behaviours in dementia.
• Sensory factors – difficult judging spaces and distance, difficulty distinguishing items from the background like unable to see white food on a white plate, hyper or hypo sensitivity to touch can also trigger aggressive behaviours.
  

Managing Challenging Behaviours

These behaviours are messages rather than misbehaviour. Managing them starts with listening and noticing patterns: what happened before, during and after an episode?

Our care assistants use simple, respectful techniques to address challenging behaviours, always keeping the person’s history, preferences and comforts of the person at the centre.

We adapt the environment to help with orientation and independence:

• Clutter-free pathways
• Clear signage and pictorial labels
• Contrasting colours for toilet seats and crockery
• Nightlights and non-glare lighting
• Memory stations with photos
• Calendars and a daily plan.

Reliable Routines are Essential to Behaviour Management

Our care assistants collaborate with families to design realistic routines that fit the home, the person as well as the day.

Scheduling more demanding activities when the person is most alert can further reduce challenging behaviours and distress.

When aggressive behaviour and dementia or other changed behaviour is present, our supervisors provide additional guidance, review plans and coordinate with healthcare professionals where needed. This joined-up approach helps families feel secure and ensures managing behaviour that challenges remains consistent and safe.

• Set regular times for meals, personal care and rest.
• Lay out clothes in dressing order
• Break tasks into small steps.
• Use adaptive utensils or high-sided plates to support eating.

Wellbeing First: Social, Physical and Emotional Support

Behaviour often mirrors wellbeing. When someone feels comfortable, understood and engaged, challenging behaviours usually lessen. We build moments of joy through social connection, one-to-one conversations using photos and music, small groups that match interests like gardening or baking, dementia-friendly cafés, and links with local communities in North Hertfordshire.

Physical health also matters: gentle movement, balanced meals, hydration routines, sleep hygiene and regular checks for vision, hearing and oral health. Our care assistants can support meal preparation, hydration prompts and simple exercise plans. Emotional care includes reminiscence, calming music, simple relaxation techniques and structured day plans to reduce uncertainty. By easing distress, we make managing challenging behaviours and daily tasks for people with dementia more achievable at home.

Further Support and How to Get Started with Managing Behaviours

If you are looking for clear, compassionate guidance on managing challenging behaviours and daily tasks for people with dementia, we are here to help. Our specialised dementia care services cover personal care, medication support, companionship, meal preparation and tailored strategies for managing behaviour that especially challenges at home.

Contact Caremark North Hertfordshire for a confidential conversation. We’ll explain your options in plain English and help you feel confident about the next steps.

About Caremark North Herts and Stevenage

Caremark North Hertfordshire and Stevenage has consistently achieved high client satisfaction. Since 2014, they continue to demonstrate how professional, compassionate, and personalised care can make a real difference in the quality of life of families.
Providing live in care in Letchworth, Stevenage, Knebworth, Hitchin, Baldock, Royston and surrounding villages. If you are not ready to receive home care, our knowledgeable team can answer your questions to help you navigate what is best care for your or your loved one. Contact us using the link below.