Managing Medications & Behaviours
Managing a loved one's medications and behaviour changes can feel like being a detective. You don't have to handle it alone — your best tools are your healthcare team paired with a few smart strategies at home.
Please note: This is general information, not medical advice. Always check with your GP, geriatrician or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medication or treatment.
1. Becoming a “symptom detective”
Before a doctor can prescribe the right medicine or advice, they need accurate clues. Since your loved one might not be able to explain what's wrong, you can investigate for them.
Keep a behaviour diary: If your loved one gets very upset or restless, jot down a quick note: when it happened, what was going on in the room, and what helped calm them down.
Look for hidden pain: A sudden flare-up (shouting or pacing) often isn't the dementia — it's physical discomfort. Check for simple things like a toothache, a urinary tract infection (UTI), tight clothing, or constipation.
The “sundowning” effect: Many people with dementia get highly confused or anxious late in the afternoon as the sun goes down. Turning on bright indoor lights early and planning quiet, relaxing activities around 4:00pm can help prevent it.
2. Working with your doctor on medications
You're the expert on how your loved one acts at home; the doctor is the expert on the science. Working together is a team effort.
Bring all the pills: Put every single medicine, vitamin and supplement into a bag and take it to the appointment. Some medicines react badly when mixed, causing extra confusion or dizziness.
Ask the “big three” questions: Whenever a doctor suggests a new pill, ask these three things:
- What specific symptom is this pill supposed to help?
- What side effects should we watch out for?
- When and how should we review this to see if it's still working?
The “start low and go slow” rule: A person with dementia has a very sensitive brain. Good doctors always start a new medication at the lowest possible dose and increase it very slowly to avoid bad side effects.
A special note on Lewy Body Dementia
People with Lewy Body Dementia can be dangerously sensitive to certain antipsychotic medications, which may cause severe reactions. Always make sure every doctor and hospital knows about an LBD diagnosis before any new medication is prescribed.
3. Sorting out sleep issues
Dementia frequently breaks the brain's internal alarm clock, leading to long, restless nights.
Daytime action, nighttime rest: Keep your loved one active during the day. Gentle walks, puzzles and time in the sunshine tell the brain that daytime is for being awake.
Limit the long naps: A quick 20-minute power nap after lunch is fine, but sleeping for hours in the afternoon will ruin their sleep at night.
Talk to the doctor about sleep aids: If they're acting out vivid dreams or waking up terrified, tell the specialist. Safe sleep medications or high-dose melatonin can calm the brain at night without making them groggy the next day.
4. Free back-up: Dementia Support Australia
If a behaviour change happens suddenly and you feel stuck or unsafe, remember your emergency back-up team. This free, 24/7 service is funded by the Australian Government. If your loved one is severely distressed, pacing or aggressive, call anytime — consultants will talk you through how to calm the situation and can even visit to help build a custom care plan.
1800 699 799 (24/7)How technology is joining the medical team
Right now, families usually have to write everything on paper calendars or notebook logs to show the doctor. But humans forget things, and it's hard to track everything perfectly when you're tired or stressed. That's why The Wendy Project is launching a brand-new helper later this year — The Wendy Companion App. Built specifically to act like a digital assistant for the patient and a helper for the doctors, here's how it changes the game:
A simple dashboard
Turns a tablet screen into an “ambient display” that clearly shows the date, time, weather, and who is visiting that day — so the patient doesn't feel lost or anxious.
Smart medication scanning
Scan medicine bottles with the camera to verify the exact dosage and get friendly reminders, so they never double-dose.
Predicting bad days
Smart algorithms notice patterns — like sleeping less or wandering more — and alert the family before a major medical emergency happens.
The emergency backup plan
If a patient gets scared or starts hallucinating, the app can instantly play a pre-recorded video of a son, daughter or grandchild saying, “Hey, you're safe, I love you, and help is on the way.”
Turning loss into hope
The Wendy Companion App was created by someone who walked this exact path. After caring for their own mum, Wendy, through her brave battle with Lewy Body Dementia, they realised families needed a tool that brings connection, dignity and confidence back into the home. By using modern technology alongside regular doctor visits, families can spend less time stressing over pill bottles and paperwork — and more time enjoying meaningful, peaceful moments with the people they love.
