10 Important Tips To Communicate With Dementia Elders

It is a challenge caring for elders with dementia with this condition making him/her experience difficulty in remembering things, thinking clearly, communicating with others, and taking care of themselves. They may also experience mood swings and changes in personality and behavior. Good communication skills will help enhance your ability to handle the difficult behavior of dementia elders.

Important tips to communicate with dementia elders:

1) Set a positive mood for interaction by speaking to your loved elder with dementia in a pleasant and respectful way. Your facial expressions, tone of voice and physical touch should convey the message and feelings of affection.

2) Get the elder’s attention by limiting all distractions and noise like the TV; close the curtain, and shut the door. Come down to the level of the elder, maintain eye contact and get his/her attention by addressing him/her by name, identifying yourself by name and relation and use non-verbal cues and touch to keep the elder focused.

3) State the message clearly by using simple words and sentences and speaking in a slow, low, distinct and reassuring tone. Repeat the message a few times till he/she understands; avoid the use of pronouns and abbreviations and use name of places and people. 

4) Ask simple answerable questions with Yes and No answers one at a time and avoid open ended questions; it would be better still to show her/him visual prompts and cues also help clarify your question to guide her response.

5) It is best to be patient while waiting for a dementia elder’s reply;    help him/her by suggesting words. Carefully observe non-verbal cues and body language and strive to listen and know the feelings that underlie the words.

6) Break up each activity that the elder has to do into a series of much manageable steps and encourage him/her to do what one can; remind him/her by visual cues of the steps that one has forgotten and assist with steps one can no longer accomplish on one’s own.

7) When the elder with dementia gets upset try to distract and redirect by changing the subject or environment and suggesting something more pleasant. Like you could say, “I see you’re feeling sad—I’m sorry you’re upset. Let’s go get something to eat.”

8) It is best to respond with verbal and physical expressions of comfort, support and reassurance when an elder with dementia is anxious and unsure of oneself; holding hands, touching, hugging and praise could also help. If he/she confuses reality it is best to avoid convincing them they are wrong.

9) It could be a soothing and affirming activity for elders with dementia to remember old days; he/she has a long term memory and cannot remember things that took place in recent times. So it is best to avoid asking them questions that involve short-term memory and ask them general questions about the person’s distant past.

10) Maintain your sense of humor, but avoid humor at the elder’s expense; such elders tend to retain their social skills and are usually delighted to laugh along with you.

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