What should we do if a parent with dementia becomes aggressive?

If there's immediate danger, call 911. Otherwise, contact the family doctor or a local memory clinic for an urgent assessment, since sudden behaviour changes often have a treatable cause like infection or medication side effects.

Can someone get moved into memory care on an urgent basis?

Yes, a crisis designation can be requested through Home and Community Care Support Services when safety is at risk, which can speed up placement into a home with a behavioural support unit.

What is a behavioural support unit?

It's a specialized area within some memory care or long-term care homes designed for residents with more intense behavioural symptoms who need closer supervision than a standard unit provides.

Urgent support when dementia behaviour becomes unsafe at home

Sometimes the shift from 'managing at home' to 'this isn't safe anymore' happens fast: wandering out of the house, aggression toward a caregiver, or a fall linked to confusion. This is a different search than comparing memory care homes at leisure; it's about what to do in the next few days when behaviour has become a safety risk.

Options at this stage usually include an emergency geriatric psychiatry or hospital assessment, a crisis designation for memory care placement, or urgent in-home support to stabilize the situation while a longer-term plan comes together. Families in this situation need to know who to call first, not just which home has the best reviews.

When to call 911 or go to emergency versus calling a family doctor
Behavioural support units within memory care homes for higher-acuity residents
Getting an urgent geriatric psychiatry or memory clinic assessment in London
Interim safety measures (door alarms, in-home supervision) while placement is arranged

What it costs

Emergency medical assessment through a hospital or family doctor is covered by OHIP. If urgent in-home supervision is needed while a longer-term memory care plan is sorted out, that's billed hourly by a home care agency, with cost driven by how many hours of one-on-one supervision are required per day.

Top 3 by our score

Ranked from our published scoring of public Google reviews for memory care & dementia care.

1. Home Instead
4.9★ · 104 reviews

88
2. Senior Home Care by Angels London
4.9★ · 101 reviews

88
3. White Wings Home Care & Transportation Services Ltd.
4.8★ · 161 reviews

87

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FAQ

What should we do if a parent with dementia becomes aggressive?: If there's immediate danger, call 911. Otherwise, contact the family doctor or a local memory clinic for an urgent assessment, since sudden behaviour changes often have a treatable cause like infection or medication side effects.
Can someone get moved into memory care on an urgent basis?: Yes, a crisis designation can be requested through Home and Community Care Support Services when safety is at risk, which can speed up placement into a home with a behavioural support unit.
What is a behavioural support unit?: It's a specialized area within some memory care or long-term care homes designed for residents with more intense behavioural symptoms who need closer supervision than a standard unit provides.

When you submit an enquiry through this site's forms, it may be shared with partner providers who can complete the work, and we may receive a referral fee. Our rankings and scores follow our published methodology only and are never influenced by referral fees.