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By communicating well with a person living with a dementia, you can help increase their understanding and wellbeing. Dementia is a progressive condition that, over time, will affect a person's ability to remember and understand basic everyday facts, such as names, dates and places. To help encourage a person with a dementia to communicate, you should try to begin conversations with the person. Ways to do this include:
Communicating through body language and physical contactBody language and physical contact become significant when speech is difficult for a person with a dementia. Key ways to help communication when someone has difficulty speaking or understanding include:
It's important that you encourage the person to communicate what they want, however they can. Listening to and understanding someone with a dementiaCommunication is a two-way process. If you are a carer of someone with dementia, you will probably have to learn to ‘listen’ more carefully. Active listening can help to improve communication between you and the person you're caring for. Active listening includes:
Find out more about communicating with people with dementia on the NHS website. Where to find help and supportYou can find more information and support services from the following organisations, see also ‘more useful links section’: The Public Health Agency has also produced a range of information to help support people with a dementia, their families and friends. This information includes the following publications: Dementia apps libraryThe ‘Apps4Dementia’ library is a digital service which groups together safe, trusted apps to provide information and guidance on the condition. There a number of apps that offer support, self-care of symptoms and allow users to carry on with their day-to-day activities for as long as possible.
The information on this page has been adapted from original content from the NHS website. More useful links
Dementia is a progressive illness that, over time, will affect a person's ability to remember and understand basic everyday facts, such as names, dates and places. Dementia will gradually affect the way a person communicates. Their ability to present rational ideas and to reason clearly will change. If you are looking after a person with dementia, you may find that as the illness progresses you'll have to start discussions to get the person to make conversation. This is common. Their ability to process information gets progressively weaker and their responses can become delayed. Try to start conversations with the person you're looking after, especially if you notice that they're starting fewer conversations themselves. It can help to: The Alzheimer's Society has lots of information that can help, including details on the progression of dementia and communicating. Communication is not just talking. Gestures, movement and facial expressions can all convey meaning or help you get a message across. Body language and physical contact become significant when speech is difficult for a person with dementia. When someone has difficulty speaking or understanding, try to: It's important that you encourage the person to communicate what they want, however they can. Remember, we all find it frustrating when we cannot communicate effectively, or are misunderstood. Communication is a two-way process. As a carer of someone with dementia, you will probably have to learn to listen more carefully. You may need to be more aware of non-verbal messages, such as facial expressions and body language. You may have to use more physical contact, such as reassuring pats on the arm, or smile as well as speaking. Active listening can help:
Page last reviewed: 9 January 2020
Communication changes in dementiaEach person with dementia is unique, and the difficulties experienced in communicating thoughts and feelings are different. There are many causes of dementia, each affecting the brain in different ways. Some changes you might notice in the person with dementia include:
Suggestions for communicating with a person with dementiaCarers need to pay attention to how they present themselves to the person with dementia. The three factors that make up the messages we communicate are:
These statistics highlight the importance of how families and carers present themselves to a person with dementia. Negative body language, such as sighs and raised eyebrows, can be easily picked up. There are a number of strategies or approaches you can use to communicate positively with a person with dementia, to make yourself understood and to show you care for them. Caring attitudePeople retain their feelings and emotions even though they may not understand what is being said, so it is important to always maintain their dignity and self-esteem. Be flexible and always allow plenty of time for a response. Where appropriate, use touch to keep the person’s attention and to communicate feelings of warmth and affection. Ways of talkingWhen you talk to a person with dementia, try to:
Body languageYou may need to use some hand gestures and facial expressions to make yourself understood. Pointing or demonstrating can help. Touching and holding the person’s hand may help keep their attention and show them that you care. A warm smile and shared laughter can often communicate more than words can. The right environmentWhen communicating with a person with dementia, try to:
What NOT to do when communicating with a person with dementiaWhen communicating with a person with dementia, try NOT to:
Therapies and communication strategies for people with dementiaA number of alternative communication approaches have been developed, which attempt to provide the trust and support so necessary to a person’s wellbeing. Many family members and carers will be instinctively using some of these techniques without realising their formal names. Validation therapy and dementiaValidation therapy teaches that, rather than trying to bring the person with dementia back to our reality, it is more positive to enter their reality. In this way, you can develop empathy with the person, and build trust and a sense of security. This, in turn, reduces anxiety. As an example, if a person with dementia believes that she is waiting for her children (all now middle-aged) to return from school, family and carers who use validation would not argue the point or expect their relative to have insight into their behaviour. They would not correct the beliefs of the person with dementia. Instead, with the validating approach, carers would acknowledge and empathise with the feelings behind the behaviour being expressed. In this way, the person with dementia has their dignity and self-esteem maintained. Music therapy and dementiaActivities that involve music are another effective way of communicating with a person who has dementia. Often when other skills have gone, the person can still enjoy old familiar songs and tunes. A certain piece of music can unlock memories and feelings. It is important to be prepared to respond to the release of these feelings. Knowing a person’s musical likes and dislikes is vital for this to be a successful approach. Music can be used as a formal therapy or simply for enjoyment. It can also help in the management of difficult behaviours. Music therapists have training in the use of music with people with dementia, and can address some very complex behaviours. Reminiscence and dementiaReminiscence is a way of reviewing past events. This is usually a very positive and rewarding activity. Even if the person with dementia cannot participate verbally, reminiscing and reflecting on the past can still give them pleasure. It can also be a means of distraction if the person becomes upset. While reviewing past events can provide a sense of peace and happiness, it can also stir up painful and sad memories. It is important to be sensitive to the person’s reactions if this happens. If their distress seems overwhelming, then it is better to use another form of distraction to reduce anxiety. Making a This is your life book and dementiaMaking a chronological history of the person with dementia can help with reminiscence and provides information for people who may interact with them. It can also help carers coming in to the home or residential care facility to get to know about the person and their life. A This Is Your Life or memorybookis a visual diary, similar to a family photo album. It can include letters, postcards, certificates and other memorabilia. A large photo album with plastic protective sheets over each page can withstand a lot of use. Each photo needs to be labelled to avoid putting the person with dementia on the spot with questions such as ‘Who is that?’ It is best to limit the information on each page to one topic, and to have a maximum of two or three items on each page. Where to get help
This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:
This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:
This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:
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