Managing Repetitive Actions Understanding Dementia “I look after my mother once a week to give my father a break. But when he isn’t around she asks where he is every two minutes. This used to wind me up so I would ignore her - but that made it worse. Now I know this is her way of saying she is worried when my father isn’t around. I reassure her he will be back soon and we do jigsaws together which is fun and calming for both of us.” Why does it happen? Repeating actions and questions is very common among people with dementia. This is because they have lost part or most of their memory so they are unable to remember things.
What are some examples? • Asking the same questions over and over again. • Moving tongue in and out. • Tapping. • Rubbing hands together. • Getting stuck at one step of a task and repeating it. What causes it? • Memory loss. • Worry or concern such as being separated from a loved one. • Boredom. • Wanting to eat, drink or go to the toilet. • Side-effect of medication.