People with dementia/Alzheimer’s often struggle with communicating. Difficulties range from being repetitive with their conversation due to memory loss, to having very limited ability to communicate their thoughts or needs to those around them. This can often lead to them feeling and expressing frustration. Some individuals may lapse into silence while they try to make sense of their thoughts and their experience of the world they now live in.
I find that listening to someone’s thoughts, and what they are trying to say to me with interest, and responding in a way that suits the tone of their communication or facial expressions, helps them to feel understood, even if what is being said dose not make sense when it is spoken. The feeling that you have been understood is important to us all.
Often people believe relatives long gone are still alive, and can talk about them as if they have just seen them. This is because long term memories are much stronger and less affected by the dementia than their short term day to day memories. As this belief is very real to them, you may try to remind them that someone has died, but often that will be dismissed. I try to get people talking about their relative/s, what they were like, what work they did and then move on to their childhood memories like school, work and socialising. It is sometimes better to deflect the conversation to something else if the person is becoming distressed.
Photos are a great way to help someone remember past lifestyle and events in a positive way. The main thing is to help someone feel they have been listened to and understood.
Treasured Time 