What may be causing this
- Pain, constipation, or urinary infection
- Too much noise, activity, or people
- Being rushed or corrected
- Hunger, thirst, fatigue, or needing the bathroom
- A new or changed medication
What to try first
- Lower stimulation: turn off the TV, reduce lighting glare, clear the room
- Approach from the front, slowly, at eye level
- Use short sentences and one instruction at a time
- Offer a familiar comfort — a drink, a walk, music
- Step away for a few minutes if it is safe
What usually makes it worse
- Arguing or explaining why they are wrong
- Multiple people talking at once
- Physically restraining or blocking
- Asking 'don't you remember?'
Simple things you can do today
- Keep a simple log of time, place, and what happened before
- Check for pain and constipation
- Move the hardest tasks to the person's best time of day
When to call the doctor
- Agitation is new or worsening over days
- Signs of infection, pain, or poor sleep
- Safety at home is becoming difficult
- A medication was recently started or changed
When it may be an emergency
- Threats or acts of violence toward self or others
- Sudden confusion, weakness, slurred speech, or facial droop
- A fall with head injury, especially on a blood thinner
Related resources
Medically reviewed. Last reviewed August 2026. This page is educational information, not individualized medical advice.