Blog Layout
7 Tips When Talking To Someone With Alzheimer's Disease
Lisa Reisman • Aug 28, 2019
How can we help you today?
Talking To Someone With Alzheimer's: 7 Tips For Better Communication
Alzheimer's disease dramatically impacts a person's ability to communicate. Patients often have trouble recalling past events, may find it difficult to express their thoughts and emotions, or may struggle to understand others. Because of this, coping with a loved one's new Alzheimer's diagnosis is often an extremely emotional time for family members. If you find yourself struggling to communicate with your newly diagnosed family member, consider the following seven tips for talking to someone with Alzheimer's:
1. Maintain eye contact.
Before you begin talking to your loved one, get her attention by saying her name. Then, establish and maintain eye contact throughout your dialogue. Be sure to stand or sit close by during the conversation, so that you can be sure you’re communicating clearly.
2. Eliminate distractions.
Background noises like the television or radio are often very distracting for people with Alzheimer's disease. When talking to your loved one, make sure to diminish all distractions before engaging her in conversation. Additionally, it's typically best to talk to your family member one-on-one, whenever possible. Attempting to have a conversation in a crowd of people or even in a small group is often too overwhelming, causing the person with Alzheimer’s to become confused or anxious.
3. Use short and simple sentences.
When talking to your loved one with Alzheimer's, there is no need for elaborate dialogue. Keep your sentences short and to the point. Avoid using vague terminology. Refer to nouns by their names instead of using a pronoun like "it" or "that." Additionally, keep in mind that having too many choices can be overwhelming for people with Alzheimer's. For example, instead of asking them what they want for dinner, consider asking, "Would you like chicken and broccoli for dinner tonight?"
4. Avoid conflict.
Arguing with your loved one with Alzheimer's is a no-win situation. If you feel yourself becoming frustrated, politely end the conversation, walk away, and give yourself some space. Avoid using statements like, "You're wrong," or "I already told you that," which will only result in your loved one becoming agitated, as well. When you're wrong, just accept the blame and move on.
5. Use visual cues.
Visual cues are often helpful when communicating with people with Alzheimer's disease. Use hand gestures when talking to help illustrate what you're trying to address. Pointing is also an effective addition to verbal communication. Instead of simply asking if your loved one wants to go outside, for example, you might also point to the back door while asking.
6. Have patience.
It's often tempting to finish your loved one’s sentences for her when she becomes sidetracked or confused. While this might seem helpful, it's often very frustrating for people with Alzheimer's. Instead, practice patience. Give your loved one plenty of time to complete her own thoughts and to comprehend your responses. Patience and reassurance are two of the best gifts you can give someone who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
7. Be respectful.
Remember that your loved one is still a person with feelings and treat her accordingly. Avoid using baby talk or talking down to her. Don't assume that she doesn't understand what you're saying. Additionally, avoid talking about your loved one as if she’s not in the room. Simply put: treat your loved one with the same respect you would treat a person who does not have Alzheimer's disease.
Navigating Alzheimer's disease is challenging for patients and their family members. Adult children of parents diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease often find themselves experiencing emotions ranging from guilt to sadness as they struggle to cope with their parent’s' new reality. If your parent has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, there are resources available to assist you and your loved one. Contact Complete Care At Home
today to learn how we can help.
Learn about the common symptoms of COVID-19, reasons why older people have a wide variety of symptoms & how to spot early signs of COVID-19 in the elderly.
Learn about the symptoms of COVID-19 & how it spreads. Know the difference between asymptomatic & symptomatic.
Learn why the elderly have a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 & why the risks are higher when they have underlying health conditions.
Learn about the signs when your loved one faces comprehension difficulties. Know how a cognitive impairment disease can affect you & your loved ones.
You’ve heard the name many times by now— Coronavirus (or COVID-19) is a disease that’s become so deadly it’s spiraled us into a global pandemic. For those unfamiliar with how it got its name, in COVID-19, 'CO' stands for 'corona,' 'VI' for 'virus,' and 'D' for the disease. According to the CDC, “coronavirus” is actually an umbrella term for a family of viruses that can cause illness in animals or humans.
No matter what age, we all have moments of confusion. But when your elderly loved one is consistently exhibiting these signs, it might be because s/he is undergoing cognitive impairment. Having difficulty comprehending is a common sign these problems; however, it is often brushed aside as "old age." The person experiencing these difficulties may make excuses: the TV shows today are too complicated, their family members talk too fast, the lights are too dim to read. Ignoring the signs of comprehension difficulties, though, just make life harder for everyone involved. Comprehension and Confusion Comprehension is the opposite of confusion. Comprehension is a complex process in the brain through a system of nerves and chemicals, and it involves language, recognition, and function processes. Cognitive impairment disorders like dementia and Alzheimer's disrupt those complex processes. It can manifest as sudden memory loss, impaired motor coordination, and other more subtle thought processes that we will discuss. When someone has difficulty with comprehension, s/he has trouble putting together the various actions needed to perform a task. For example, your mom might need a cup from the cupboard. In order to do so, she must first decide she wants the cup. Then she might need to get out of her chair, walk across the kitchen, raise her hand, open the cupboard, and take the cup out of the cupboard. If she has difficulty with comprehension, she will have a hard time putting all of these elements to work to achieve her goal, which might result in several different outcomes: she could fall, break the cup, or just forget what she was doing before she reaches the cupboard. She knows what she wants to do but has trouble making all the connections necessary to get there. How Cognitive Impairment Affects Your Loved One Difficulty comprehending is frustrating for your elderly loved one and for you, but the first step toward helping your loved one is understanding what s/he is experiencing. Here are some examples of how someone with dementia or Alzheimer's disease might have trouble comprehending everyday situations. TV/books: Someone with dementia might not be able to follow a basic storyline and could not tell somebody else what is going on in the TV show or book. Social situations: Someone with dementia might see two children playing and interpret that they are fighting or vice versa. The person with dementia may step in and try to resolve the situation without realizing what is actually happening. Conversations: As with the TV/book example, someone with dementia can't follow an everyday conversation . S/he doesn't know who or what is being discussed and especially cannot tell when the subject matter has changed. Time: Someone with trouble comprehending will have difficulty telling time and might not know whether it is day or night. How Cognitive Impairment Affects You Because of these comprehension difficulties, the person experiencing dementia or Alzheimer's disease will rely on the people around him/her to tell him/her what is going on. For instance, your loved one may constantly ask you to repeat yourself. S/he may also have trouble following instructions. These situations can be aggravating for you, particularly if they are new, however it is important to understand that your loved one is not trying to bother you by failing to follow directions or asking you to repeat information over and over. These are symptoms of cognitive impairment , and neither you nor they can control it. If your family member begins to exhibit any of these signs, take him or her to your physician with a description of the comprehension difficulties you've noticed so that s/he has plenty of information for a cognitive function assessment. If the doctor diagnoses dementia or Alzheimer's, ask specific questions about treatment so that you can do your part to serve your loved one despite mild cognitive impairment. It is important to get help for your loved one, and there is no reason for you to care for your loved one alone. Caring for an aging relative requires time, patience, and expert care. Complete Care At Home can help you create a customized plan to meet the unique needs of your loved one with dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Contact us today for an expert assessment.
Learn about aggression, dementia & how you can cope with people experiencing those illnesses through home health care services by Complete Care At Home.
Alzheimer's and dementia are debilitating diseases. Learn more about the differences and signs of dementia and Alzheimer's disease from normal forgetfulness.
Learn about the Elderly Loved One Being RepetitiveComplete Care At Home has a team of experts to take care of elderly family members.
Learn about the signs your loved ones might need home care services & how complete care at home services can help your loved ones to live safely.