Alzheimer's Care Sex and Dementia

The increased sexual behavior may be one way persons living with Alzheimer's and dementia try to communicate.Dr. Rita Jablonski-JaudonAlzheimer's Reading RoomSexuality is a topic that is not often encountered here in the ARR, but I wanted to broach it after receiving an email from a reader. Her husband has AD and continues to become deeply forgetful, moving backward in time.In his world, they are young newlyweds and he wishes to shower his lovely wife with physical affection. He asks her several times a day to join him in the bedroom.Coping with DementiaSubscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading Room Email: At night, he invites physical intimacy. In her world, they are in their late 70s and the physical act of intimacy is something that faded away some time ago.In fact, the physical act of intercourse is painful for her. She loves her husband dearly and does not want to upset or hurt him.This is new behavior, and she wrote to me because she was very embarrassed and felt alone.Memory CareWith her permission, I am sharing my response because I believe there are others out there who may be experiencing a similar situation. I also encounter this issue regularly in the Dementia Clinic where I work.The first thing I examine when new sexual behavior occurs is medication.Some medications can trigger hyper-sexuality in persons with dementia. These medicines are used with persons who have movement disorders, and include what are known as dopamine agonists—such as leva dopa or Sinemet (tr...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer awareness alzheimer communication alzheimers care alzheimers caregiving dementia help for caregivers family caregiving help alzheimer's help with dementia help with dementia care Source Type: blogs