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So many people who live here do things that are repetitive

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like pacing and asking the same questions over and over again,

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or repetitive movements like hand slapping,

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and I'm not sure what to do.

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Sometimes it's annoying to me, and sometimes it's

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annoying to other people that live here.

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Should I just try and ignore them or make them stop?

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[TAPPING NOISE]

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Mr. Jones,

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you've been doing that for 30 minutes.

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I told you to stop.

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It's very annoying.

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I'm just gonna take you to your room now.

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No,

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stop.

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We're going.

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You're not coming out of your room until you stop tapping.

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Stop pushing against me.

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Come on.

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[TAPPING NOISE]

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OK. Here you are.

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Repetitiveness can be exhibited in a variety of ways.

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A person could do the same movement over and over,

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say the same word or phrase again and again,

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or ask the same question repeatedly.

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When you're assessing a person who's experiencing repetitiveness,

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the first thing you should do is make sure the person is not in harm's way,

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or that the repetitiveness is not going to cause harm to another person.

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If the repetitiveness is not causing harm to the person or someone around them,

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you may decide

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just to ignore it,

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but ignoring the repetitiveness does not mean ignoring the person.

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The repetitiveness could be a way to express a physical need.

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The person could be hungry.

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Hi,

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Mr. Jones,

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I brought you a snack.

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Are you hungry?

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I don't know.

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Here.

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Or thirsty…

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[TAPPING]

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Hi, Mr.

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Jones.

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I saw you were 

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tapping your arm  

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there.  

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Are you 

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thirsty?

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No,

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I don't know.

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I brought you some water, here.

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There you go.

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They could have a need to stretch or walk around.

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OK.

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They could be uncomfortable.

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The person could be too hot

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or too cold.

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They could need to be repositioned or have assistants repositioning themselves.

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The person could need to use the restroom.

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[BACKGROUND MUSIC] [TAPPING] 

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Hi, Mr.

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Jones,

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that music's kind of loud.

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I'll turn that down for you.

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You've been in this room for a while.

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You need to use the restroom?

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I don't know.

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You don't know?

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Let's go take a walk to the restroom.

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Here,

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I'll help you up.

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Mhm,

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there you go.

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You could take my arm.

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Right.

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Here we go.

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Repetitiveness

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could be the result of the person being bored

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or having a need to engage with others.

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Once you've assessed the situation and determined

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that the person is not in harm's way

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and that their physical needs are met,

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try engaging them in some other activities.

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You might consider helping the person move to another room or another part

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of the home, where they can interact and visit with other folks.

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Activities

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should be meaningful.

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You can help them get a project started with

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the activities coordinator or engagement specialist at the home.

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Perhaps they could help prepare the silverware for mealtime.

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Hey,

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Mr.

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Jones,

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thanks so much for doing the silverware.

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We really appreciate it.

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Other activities could include working in the yard,

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planting flowers,

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weeding,

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painting the picnic tables.

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Maybe the person that you're working with would like to

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write a letter to a family member or friend.

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Here we go.

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We got you situated with a drink,

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a snack.

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You're writing a letter to your grandson?

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I heard it's his birthday next week.

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A walk in the fresh air

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is always good for the person that you're assisting

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and for you.

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Isn't it nice to be outside?

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Initiation is a term which describes

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moving from one activity

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to another activity.

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For example,

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maybe watching television and initiate a new activity

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by getting up and going to their room to read a book.

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The process of initiation is a mental process.

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Diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and other related dementias,

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traumatic brain injury, or autism

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can cause problems with initiation.

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This is where you come in.

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You could help the person initiate a new activity with some

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of the suggestions and recommendations we offer in this film.

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Tips to help with repetitiveness:

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One: Assess Safety.

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What is the person doing?

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Is it safe?

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If they continue doing their repetitive action,

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are they going to hurt themselves or someone else?

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If so,

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calmly stop them as soon as you can.

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Get help if needed,

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but try to stop the unsafe action in the least aggravating way possible.

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Two:

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Assess Human Needs.

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Repetitiveness that is not causing harm may not need to be interrupted,

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but could be a sign of a human need that the person cannot express verbally.

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If there is an unmet need or want,

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for example,

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hunger,

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thirst,

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boredom,

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or pain,

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meet that person's needs.

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Maybe they just need to use the restroom.

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Physical needs might include

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thirst,

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hunger,

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the person may be uncomfortable

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they may be too hot,

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too cold,

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or need to be repositioned.

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The person might have psychological or social needs, such as, one—boredom.

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In this case,

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help the individual find something meaningful to do to them,

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such as walking outside,

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helping prepare the silverware,

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writing a letter,

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or creating a work of art.

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Two—loneliness.

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Help the person find ways to talk and do something with other people,

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such as play a game,

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do a craft,

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or hang out with someone who works there,

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such as a nurse or a CNA.

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Three—

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overstimulation.

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Create a peaceful environment in which the person can regroup,

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such as near an aviary or looking out a window,

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their room or another quiet area.

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Adjust the environment by reducing noise,

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adjusting lighting,

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or turning on peaceful or their favorite music.