Communication Strategies for Dementia
Dementia is hard for all the parties involved. As the diseases progress, you will find it harder to communicate with your aging loved ones. Delray Beach Assisted Living has dealt with people who are in their late stages of dementia, and it is always more difficult to convey clear messages. The worst thing might be sharing valuable moments and knowing that they probably won’t remember it. Nevertheless, we are called to take care of our senior population. And to fulfill that honorable duty, you might want to gear up the proper strategies.
Recognize
The first thing you need to do is recognize what you’re up against. Dementia inevitably gets worse over time. Do not take things too personally if they will not be able to communicate further. They will undergo a painful process of having to deal with communication barriers. You need to recognize that and adjust accordingly.
Avoid Distractions
Find a good place to talk about. Somewhere with fewer distractions. You can be more effective if you choose the right place and time to communicate an important message. Furthermore, a quiet place will force the listener to focus all their mental energy on the conversation.
Speak Clearly
Speak clearly and naturally in a warm and calm voice. But be careful not to be condescending. Many seniors ignore the message deliberately once they feel they are talked down or insulted.
Refer to their names
Pronouns like “he”, “she”, and “they” can cause a problem when talking to someone with dementia. You have to use proper names so that they will not have to analyze who you are referring to. For example: “Hi Grandpa, It’s me Kylah”. This is more preferable than just simply saying “Hey, it’s me”
Talk about one thing at a time
Do not get carried away when the conversation takes flight. Sometimes, we get a little too excited when the senior picks up the conversation points and then you tend to move the conversation with another topic.
Use nonverbal means
Take advantage of hand gestures and facial expressions. This will help in transmitting clear messages to someone with dementia… And while dementia is very advanced, nonverbal communication may be the only option available.
Find the best Delray Beach Assisted Living community that knows how to deal with dementia
Courtyard Gardens is a Delray Beach Assisted Living community that has transitional and advanced wings for seniors with dementia. If you want to know more about our excellent service, please call us right now or visit our site personally!
