Complex behaviours

Complex behaviours are a common problem for those living with mental health disorders and dementia.

These behaviours, can be triggered by stress or distress and add to the risk of being admitted to hospital, lower a person’s quality of life and increase caregiver stress if not managed effectively.

At Smithy Bridge Court, our multidisciplinary team of GPs, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, and occupational therapists work holistically with our ladies and gentlemen, delivering clinical services to help keep them calm and safe in our environment.

Complex Behaviours

Our team are highly skilled and experienced in monitoring and evaluating complex behaviours, establishing what the triggers are and putting processes in place to manage them appropriately.

We prefer to use non-physical and non-pharmacological methods to de-escalate episodes of complex behaviour in our ladies and gentlemen, as we feel this reduces the number of issues and helps to improve their quality of life.

Some of the symptoms of complex behaviour we see are:

  • Throwing objects
  • Walking with Purpose
  • Biting
  • Angry and upset moods
  • Attempting to destroy things
  • Repetitive talking
  • General frustration 

Angry and Upset Behaviour

It is common for those diagnosed with dementia or complex needs to exhibit angry and upset behaviour, which can be very upsetting for loved ones to see. We understand that it can be very difficult for all involved in these situations and hard to know how to handle or care for loved ones, which can result in feelings of guilt, stress, and isolation.

Anger may arise from changes in the brain or general health, including physical pain. Communication issues and other environmental factors can also be triggers.

Medical conditions can cause angry behaviour include:

  • Psychological issues including anxiety, depression, confusion and memory loss
  • Dementia
  • Mental health disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar
  • Neurodegenerative conditions including Lewy-body, Korsakoff syndrome and acquired brain injury