Changes in mood Over the last year, my mother has found it very
hard to get herself organised to do things. She tends to just
sit in her chair most of the day if left to herself. But I’ve
found that she’ll enjoy doing things like sorting out the sewing
box as long as I get her started. Someone with dementia might
sometimes just sit in a chair or stay, for a long period of
time, not wanting to do anything. They might stop talking to
people and become withdrawn, perhaps as a consequence of their
inability to communicate. Although such behaviour is unlikely to
actually cause you a problem, you may feel uneasy about it and
worry about the person’s wellbeing. They may look unhappy or
seem to have lost their zest for life. The cause for such
behaviour is unknown. Nevertheless, with patience and
perseverance, you might be able to gradually encourage the
person to do something and to take an interest in what is going
on. On the other hand, you might sometimes have to resign
yourself to the fact that they really prefe