Smith Village Caregiver Support Group Discusses Repetitive Questions And Dementia

CHICAGO—Anyone who cares for someone with dementia will recognize the mounting frustration that comes with answering the same question every 10 minutes (or less). For the caregiver, a constantly repeated query becomes a verbal faucet drip, all the more upsetting for the anxiety it engenders.

“But it’s important to realize that your loved one is not doing this to upset you,” said Smith Village resident Alice Keane, who co-leads with Bridget Murphy, the continuing care community’s life enrichment director, the monthly meetings of the Smith Village Caregiver Support Group.

“Repetition” is the topic for the next meeting, at 6:30 pm, Tuesday, June 16, at 2320 West 113th Place in Chicago. Participants are encouraged to share their stories as part of the conversation.

“Asking the same questions, retelling the same stories and other repetitive behaviors can happen for various reasons. It could be from loss of short-term memory. Or the person may not remember asking the question. They might have lost their sense of time as a result of their disease. Or the question itself may concern an important event that they are afraid of missing or being unprepared for,” causing intense anxiety requiring frequent assurance, according to Keane.

“Detective work is part of the caregiver’s job,” Keane adds. “That includes trying to find out if that person is worried about something specific. Ask if they are hungry, thirsty or bored; you might be able to address the cause of the repetitive behavior. Sometimes you only have to inquire why they are asking, to understand what prompted their worry.”

The Smith Village Caregiver Support Group meets on the third Tuesday of each month. To reserve a spot, call 773-474-7302. For more information, visit Smith Village.