What you can do to help to improve understanding in both directions with person with dementia:
BE PATIENT
Take time to listen and allow time for the person with dementia to talk without interruption.
LEARN TO INTERPRET.
Try to understand what is being said based on the context. If the person is struggling to get an idea out, offer a guess.
BE CONNECTED
Make eye contact while communicating and call the person by name. Hold hands while talking.
BE AWARE OF YOUR NONVERBAL CUES.
Speak calmly. Keep your body language relaxed.
OFFER COMFORT
If a person with dementia is having trouble communicating, let him or her know it’s OK and provide gentle encouragement.
SHOW RESPECT
Avoid baby talk and diminutive phrases, such as “good girl.” Don’t talk about the person as if he or she weren’t there.
AVOID DISTRACTIONS
Limit visual distractions and background noise, such as a TV or radio, that can make it difficult to hear, listen attentively or concentrate.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Use short sentences. As the disease progresses, ask questions that require a yes or no answer. Break down requests into single steps.
OFFER CHOICES
Offer choices when making a request for something a person might resist. For example, if someone is reluctant to shower, you might say, “Would you like to take a shower before dinner or after dinner?”
USE VISUAL CUES.
Sometimes gestures or other visual cues promote better understanding than words alone. Rather than asking if the person needs to use the toilet, for example, take him or her to the toilet and point to it.
AVOID CRITICIZING, CORRECTING, AND ARGUING.
Don’t correct mistakes. Avoid arguing when the person says something you disagree with.
TAKE BREAKS.
If you’re frustrated, take a timeout.
