Behaviors

Repeating, sundowning, refusing help, anger, and why they happen.

3 Things in Dementia That Look Like Lying (But Aren’t)

"The neighbor brought me flowers yesterday." Except nobody came, and there are no flowers. When someone with dementia tells you something you know isn't true, it's easy to assume they're lying. Here's the difference between anosognosia, confabulation, and delusions, and why correcting them so rarely works.

Read the article

When Your Loved One With Dementia Keeps Asking: Put the Answer Where They Can Find It

If you care for someone with dementia, you probably answer some version of these questions over and over: “What are we doing today?” “Who’s coming over?” “When will you be back?” “What are we having for dinner?” “What time is my appointment?” You answer. A few minutes later, they ask again. So you remind them […]

Read the article

5 MORE Strange Dementia Behaviors and Why They Happen

The doctor asks how they're doing, and your loved one smiles and says, "Oh, I'm wonderful." Meanwhile, you're the one who sees everything else. Here are five more dementia behaviors that look strange from the outside, what the brain may be doing behind each one, and what actually helps.

Read the article

5 Strange Dementia Behaviors That Actually Make Perfect Sense

Your loved one insists they already ate breakfast. They swear they spoke to a sister who died ten years ago. It is not lying, because lying requires knowing the truth. Here are five dementia behaviors that look like character flaws, and the specific thing happening in the brain behind each one.

Read the article

Why Your Loved One With Dementia Might Be Aware They’re Struggling (Even If They Don’t Know Why)

If your loved one with dementia has been pulling back from things they used to do, it's not always apathy. Sometimes they know they're struggling, and that awareness is what makes them stop. Here's how to tell the difference, and how to help them stay engaged without pushing them past what they can do.

Read the article

Why Your Loved One With Dementia Acts Worse The Moment Your Attention Shifts

If your loved one with dementia is calm until the second you pick up the phone or leave the room, you are not imagining it. This is not jealousy, manipulation, or their personality. It is separation anxiety, and it comes from a real change in the brain. Let me walk you through what is happening and what actually helps.

Read the article

Why Your Loved One With Dementia Asks the Same Question Over and Over (And What Helps)

If your loved one with dementia asks the same question over and over, you are not alone, and they are not doing it on purpose. Dr. Natali Edmonds explains what is happening in the brain, why the feeling outlasts the facts, and five practical ways caregivers can respond with less frustration and more calm.

Read the article

Why Does My Loved One With Dementia Follow Me Everywhere? (Shadowing Explained)

If your loved one with dementia follows you from room to room and cannot let you out of sight, it is called shadowing. Dr. Natali Edmonds explains the three brain changes driving this exhausting behavior, what actually helps ease it, and why wanting space for yourself does not mean you love them any less.

Read the article

Why Your Loved One With Dementia Gets Worse in the Evening (Sundowning Explained)

If your loved one with dementia gets worse every afternoon or evening, or their sleep has completely flipped, this is not something you are causing. Research published in late 2025 is finally giving us a neurological explanation for sundowning and disrupted sleep in dementia, and what caregivers can do to help.

Read the article

Why People With Dementia Stop Doing Things They Used To Do

If your loved one with dementia has stopped doing things they used to do, here’s what’s happening in the brain and why it’s more than just “giving up.”

Read the article

Why Some People With Dementia Become Mean

What Caregivers Need to Understand About Personality Changes in Dementia If your loved one with dementia has become mean, sharp, or cruel with their words or behavior, there is something important to understand right away. You are not imagining it.And you are not failing. For many caregivers, this is one of the most painful changes […]

Read the article

Why People With Dementia Think They’re Living in the Past…and How to Respond

If your loved one with dementia believes they are living decades in the past, you are not alone. They might be looking for parents who passed away years ago. They might think they still have the job they retired from long ago. They might believe they are newly married, or that their children are still […]

Read the article

Shorter searches work best. Try one of these words on its own:

    Or browse by topic:

      Get the Dementia Dose, a free email every Thursday.

      One short email a week from Dr. Natali, about the parts of caregiving no one prepares you for.

        Free. Unsubscribe anytime, in one click.

        Skip to content