Brain & Nervous System Alzheimer's Dementia & Related Cognitive Disorders Crying and Calling Out in Dementia By Esther Heerema, MSW Esther Heerema, MSW Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Esther Heerema, MSW, shares practical tips gained from working with hundreds of people whose lives are touched by Alzheimer's disease and other kinds of dementia. Learn about our editorial process Updated on January 26, 2020 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Claudia Chaves, MD Medically reviewed by Claudia Chaves, MD Claudia Chaves, MD, is board-certified in cerebrovascular disease and neurology with a subspecialty certification in vascular neurology. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print You may have heard someone who has Alzheimer's disease or another dementia repeatedly call out, "Help me!" or become tearful and cry frequently. Or, perhaps she suddenly has a screaming episode and you don't know how to help her. This can be very distressing to experience, for both the person with dementia and those around her. It can also cause frustration for caregivers when it seems like the person may be crying out for no apparent reason. Cultura / Tim MacPherson / Getty Images Triggers for Crying and Calling Out in Dementia A few possible reasons why your loved one is displaying this behavior include: Physical causes such as pain, restlessness, hunger or a need to use the bathroomExternal causes, including an environment that is too busy or loud, and a change in routinePsychological causes such as loneliness, boredom, anxiety, depression, and delusions Crying and calling out in dementia can be triggered by true distress as a result of feelings of loss and being overwhelmed. At other times, crying appears to be less of a sorrowful response and more of habitual behavior. Crying and calling out is sometimes more common in other types of dementia including vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and Lewy body dementia. These behaviors may also increase later in the day due to sundowning, a condition common in dementia where behaviors and emotions escalate toward the evening. Sometimes, a person with dementia may have a period of time when she's screaming out loud but can't tell you why. She may be feeling anxious or fearful, or be experiencing hallucinations or paranoia. Finally, pseudobulbar affect (also known as PBA) can trigger excessive crying, as well as inappropriate laughter.Those with PBA might begin to cry and not know why they're doing so. How to Help the Person With Dementia There are times when it appears there's no reason for the person with dementia to call out or cry, at least none that you can determine. Sometimes, people seem to "get stuck" in behavior without a reason. However, before you write off crying or calling out as a meaningless behavior and say, "Well, that's just the way he is," consider the following interventions to make sure you're doing everything possible to help: Notice any time that the person is not calling out or crying; observe the environment, time of day, if it's after he just ate dinner or just received care, or if it's when he is in his favorite activity. When possible, recreate the situation that occurred when he was content.Assess him for depression and anxiety. Both calling out and crying can be symptoms of anxiety and depression in dementia.Involve him in meaningful activities.Conduct an assessment to ensure he's not in pain or discomfort.Ask the physician or pharmacist to review his list of medications. Sometimes, a particular medication or combination of medications can cause disorientation and distress.Don't give up. Most of the time, the challenging behaviors that are present in dementia do have meaning, and our job as family members and caregivers is to continue to work to improve the quality of life for people with dementia. Activities to Try If you've made sure that the basic needs of the person with dementia have been met and she continues to cry or call out, try some of these activities which may be comforting to her: Favorite Music: Know what her music of choice is and turn it on for her. This can comfort and distract her.Pet Therapy: A warm, fuzzy animal can provide many benefits to those around them.Interaction With Children: Young children have a way of engaging the attention of many, including those living with dementia.Fresh Air: A change of scenery can brighten the day.Snack or drink: Sometimes, a tasty snack or drink can distract and provide comfort.Gentle and Reassuring Touch: Try holding her hand, rubbing her shoulder or brushing her hair. These touches, which are ones that convey love and concern instead of performing a necessary such as helping get her dressed for the day, are important to her quality of life. A Word From Verywell Sometimes, behaviors in dementia are like a challenging puzzle to solve. We don't have the complete answer key to this puzzle, but we do know that often, there are things we can do to help. As caregivers and family members, we should always continue to work to solve the puzzle. Finally, don't forget that sometimes, our own stress may be impacting the person with dementia by increasing their anxiety or stress. Preventing caregiver overload by taking a break for a few minutes is important for the well-being of both you and your loved one. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! When it comes to Alzheimer's, the MIND diet has shown promise in reducing risk and promoting brain health. Sign up for our Alzheimer’s and Dementia Newsletter and get your free recipe guide today. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 4 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Kales HC, Gitlin LN, Lyketsos CG. Assessment and management of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. BMJ. 2015;350:h369. doi:10.1136/bmj.h369 Canevelli M, Valletta M, Trebbastoni A, et al. Sundowning in dementia: clinical relevance, pathophysiological determinants, and therapeutic approaches. Front Med (Lausanne). 2016;3:73. doi:10.3389/fmed.2016.00073 Ahmed A, Simmons Z. Pseudobulbar affect: prevalence and management. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2013;9:483-9. doi:10.2147/TCRM.S53906 Williams, A, Ackroyd RA. Identifying and managing pain for patients with advanced dementia. GM. 2017 Apr;47(4). Additional Reading Alzheimer's Association. Vascular Dementia. https://www.alz.org/dementia/downloads/topicsheet_vascular.pdf 404 404 Alzheimer's Association. Behaviors. http://www.alz.org/espanol/signs_and_symptoms/behaviors.asp National Institute on Aging. Types of Dementia. https://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/dementias/types-dementia