stage: 2

The four behaviours that appear in almost every dementia story — and what each one is communicating

The four most commonly observed behaviours in people with dementia are agitation, repetition, wandering, and sleep disturbance. Agitation covers a range of behaviours including restlessness, pacing, verbal outbursts, and resistance to care. Repetition involves asking the same question or performing the same action repeatedly, driven by short-term memory loss. Wandering refers to purposeless movement or attempts to leave, often linked to disorientation or searching for something from the past. Sleep disturbance includes waking and confusion at night, reversal of sleep and wake cycles, and vivid or distressing dreams. These behaviours are neurological symptoms rather than deliberate choices.