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Elder Rage

Behavior Modification

Then I started behavior modification on my eighty-three year old father. By using the techniques of "tough love" reward and consequences, he learned how to behave and control his temper most of the time, even with the onset of dementia. When he is on good behavior he gets rewards of praise, affection, attention and extra dessert. When he is asserting his life-long need to control and boss people around, he gets negative consequences: no dessert, minimal communication, no attention, no affection. He has finally learned that there is no "pay-off" for pounding his fists and screaming and yelling. He will not get his way period, and no one cowers. We walk away 100% of the time.