Optimize Communication with Loved Ones with Dementia
Compassionate Care: Optimize Communication With Loved Ones
Welcome to Compassionate Care, where we offer heartfelt support and practical advice for those caring for loved ones with dementia. We understand the unique challenges you face and are here to help you navigate them with empathy and understanding. In this post, we will explore how to create a safe and comfortable environment for dementia patients, ensuring their well-being and enhancing their quality of life.
Re-Defining Your Communication Skills
We aren’t born knowing how to communicate with a person who has dementia – but we can learn. Improving your communication skills will help make caregiving less stressful and will likely improve the quality of your relationship with your loved one.
Communicating with someone who has Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia can be challenging. As the disease progresses, they may begin having difficulty understanding you, and you may have a hard time understanding what your loved one is trying to communicate. There’s potential for misunderstanding, confusion or frustration on both sides – making communication even more difficult.
Your loved one may demonstrate one or more of the following problems:
- Hesitation and difficulty finding the right word
- Substituting related but incorrect words
- Describing an object rather than calling it by its name
- Mixing unrelated words, phrases, or ideas together
- Losing their train of thought
- Becoming withdrawn and speaking less often
Patience, listening skills, and new strategies are required to cope with frustration and improve communication. Here are some ideas that may help:
Set a positive mood from the outset. Your attitude and body language communicate your feelings and thoughts stronger than your words. Set a positive mood by speaking to your loved one in a pleasant, respectful manner. Use facial expressions, tone of voice, and gentle touch to help convey your message and show your affection.
Get your loved one’s attention. Limit distractions and noise by turning off the TV or closing the door. Before speaking, make sure you have your loved one’s full attention; address them by name and, if needed, remind them who you are. If your loved one is seated, sit down too, so you can speak eye to eye.
We aren’t born knowing how to communicate with a person who has dementia – but we can learn. Improving your communication skills will help make caregiving less stressful and will likely improve the quality of your relationship with your loved one.
Communicating with someone who has Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia can be challenging. As the disease progresses, they may begin having difficulty understanding you, and you may have a hard time understanding what your loved one is trying to communicate. There’s potential for misunderstanding, confusion or frustration on both sides – making communication even more difficult. The following is a continuation of the previous newsletter, regarding effective communication with your loved one.
Do your best to state the message clearly. Use simple words and sentences. Speak slowly, clearly, and with a low pitch. If you are “not understood” the first time, use the same wording to repeat your message or question. If your loved one still doesn’t understand, wait a few minutes and then try to rephrase the question or statement using different words.
Ask simple questions. Ask one question at a time and try to phrase them so they require a yes/no answer. When you want your loved one’s opinion, try to present a limited number of choices. For example, rather than asking “What would you like for dinner” ask,
“Would you like fish for dinner?” or
‘Would you like potatoes or rice with your fish?” Sometimes it may help to add a visual cue. For example, taking out a red shirt and blue shirt from the closet to ask which they prefer to wear.
Listen with your eyes and heart, as well as your ears. Be patient in waiting for your loved one’s reply. If they seem to struggle, it’s OK to suggest words. People with dementia often feel confused, anxious, and unsure of themselves. Avoid trying to convince them otherwise and instead focus on the feelings they are demonstrating. Watch for nonverbal cues and body language to understand the meaning and feelings that underlie the words they are trying to say. Respond to those feelings with comfort, support, and reassurance.
Distract and redirect. Your loved one may become frustrated by their difficulty communicating. If they become upset or angry, try changing the subject or environment.
Be sure to acknowledge how they are feeling first, and then suggest a different activity. For example, you could say “I’m sorry I don’t understand. I know it’s frustrating. Let’s take a walk together and we can try again later.” If your loved one seems agitated, it is often helpful to change the subject by reminiscing about old memories and “the good old days”, which may be easier for them to recall and speak about.
Maintain your sense of humor. Use humor whenever possible, though not at the person’s expense. People with dementia tend to retain their social skills and are usually delighted to laugh along with you.
Excerpted in part from www.mayoclinic.org and www.caregiver.org.
Eager to learn more? Watch for the next edition of the Compassionate Care Blog!
Please share your experiences or ask questions in the comments below. We’re here to support you every step of the way.
