When a family member has dementia, his or her behavior can be hard to understand. Jennie Rose Serfass, a certified dementia practitioner and business development specialist for Arden Court in Allentown, has some tips and insights.

Dementia can cause a person to do things similar to a young child."They may be acting like a child, but they are still an adult," she said. "They still deserve dignity and respect."WanderingMost of time they are looking for a bathroom, she said. Make sure they know where the bathroom is located and help them find it.Finding their foodSome elderly people with dementia have a hard time seeing contrasts, so white food on a white plate on a white table is difficult for them to distinguish the difference between them. Serfass recommended placing colorful food on a white plate that is sitting on a colorful place mat. This makes finding the food much easier for them.And if they seem to want sweets all the time, don't be alarmed. The ability to taste sweet is retained longer than any of the tastes, she said.AggressionMany people with dementia develop tunnel vision, so they lose their peripheral vision. Don't approach them from behind, she said. It's perfectly normal to lash out when someone is surprised from behind. Instead, approach them from the front and come down to their eye level that way they can see who is talking to them."Introduce yourself, who you are and what is your intention," she said. "You just have to take that time to let them process."Tunnel vision is actually a telltale sign of dementia and almost always occurs with Alzheimer's disease, Serfass said. As the disease progresses, the area in which light can be seen gets more narrow until it is down to a pin hole.Auditory HallucinationsPeople with dementia can think they hear something that isn't there or continue to hear a sound that is stopped. If there are many noises, then this can cause sensory overload. Keep the environment fairly quiet, Serfass said. This will help them to stay engaged longer.They may not be able to handle family gatherings anymore, said Colleen McCabe, marketing director for Arden Courts. She recommends adapting family traditions so the person with dementia can be present and it can still be enjoyable for all."Make quality time for the time they do have left," Serfass added.Repetitive behaviorIt is normal for dementia patients to repeatedly do something they did throughout their life. For example, Serfass said a person who worked as an accountant or banker may shuffle and sort papers, or a nurse that worked the night shift may want to wander throughout the night still making rounds."Why make them change if that was their entire life," she said. "Help them retain the strengths they still have."Think of memory like a filing cabinet, she said. The newest memories are closest to the front of the drawer. Those go first, but memories from childhood have been in the brain the longest and stay the longest. Similarly, the ability to recognize love and feel loved, as well as the pleasure of simple touch are retained the longest.