Patience, understanding and good listening skills make a big difference in communicating with a person with dementia. While the disease affects each person differently and progresses over time, here are some tips that can make it go better for both you and the individual.
- Maintain a calm presence. Try not to let your anxiety show.
- Engage the person one-on-one in a quiet space with few distractions. Maintain eye contact, at their level.
- Talk slowly and clearly in an easy-going, pleasant manner.
- Speak in short, simple sentences:
- Use concrete terms and familiar words.
- Limit choices by using yes/no and either/or questions.
- Break a request into small, easy steps.
- Allow time for response so the person can think about what he or she wants to say.
- Be patient and supportive.
- Avoid correcting or calling attention to repetitive comments. Listen for the meaning or feeling. Repeat what was said to clarify.
- Avoid conflict. If you don’t agree, let it be. Find a way to join their reality (if it’s not hurting anyone), or distract them.
- Give visual cues. Point or touch the item you want the individual to use. Or, begin the task for the person.
- Written notes can be helpful when a spoken word seems confusing.
For more information visit Alzheimer’s Association website at www.alz.org or MN Act on Alzheimer’s at www.actonalz.org.