A qualified health professional should be consulted for assistance in evaluating older adults with behavioral symptoms or other psychiatric symptoms. Health professionals and caregivers of older adults should be trained to recognize common symptoms of underlying psychiatric disorders. In many cases, the initial symptom or problem may be an indication of an underlying psychiatric disorder. For example, insomnia can be an indicator of depression. Behavioral manifestations should be recognized as symptoms, rather than as a distinct problem.
All behavior is purposeful.
Problem behaviors, such as hitting, require thorough evaluation to investigate an underlying cause. The explanation may be a physical problem, such as a toothache or fecal impaction in a demented person. In other cases, the problem may be a manifestation of an adverse reaction from a medication. For this reason, older adults who exhibit behavioral symptoms should always have an evaluation of their drug regimen to identify possible medication-related causes of these symptoms. As part of the comprehensive assessment process, treatment goals should be established.