Communicating with Dementia
Dementia is an umbrella term used for loss of memory and other cognitive changes that affects thinking, behaviour and impact a person's daily life and function.
Did you know that in 2020 there were an estimated 459,000 Australians living with dementia?
This equates to 3 in 10 people over the age of 85 and almost one in 10 people over 65 in Australia having dementia.
If you or a loved one has Dementia, symptoms may develop such as:
Distractibility
forgetfulness and confusion
problems with planning
personality changes or depression
trouble eating and swallowing
difficulty following conversations
trouble with communicating wants and needs
Why is communicating important for a person with dementia?
Good communication is an important part of living well with dementia as it helps people keep a sense of identity, sustain relationships and maintain quality of life. Although communicating may become challenging, there are lots of ways to facilitate meaningful communication.
Tips for communicating with a person with dementia
Before you communicate:
Consider the environment. Ideally it will be quiet and calm, with good lighting. Turn off distractions such as the radio or TV as busy or noisy environments can make it especially difficult for a person with dementia to concentrate on the conversation.
Make sure the person’s other needs are met before you start – for example, ensuring they are not hungry, tired or in pain.
Think about what you are going to talk about. It might be useful to have an idea for a particular topic ready. If you are not sure what to talk about, you can use the person’s immediate environment to guide you– anything that they can see, hear or touch might be of interest.
Listening
Improve communication by ‘active listening’. This means giving both verbal and non-verbal cues, for example by making eye contact and nodding to show the person you are engaged.
Observe the person's facial expressions and body language, this gives a signal as to how the person might be feeling even if they aren’t able to find the words.
Try not to interrupt the person as it can break the flow of communication. If they seem stuck trying to find a particular word, ask them if there is another way they can describe it.
If you haven’t understood what the person has said, ask them to repeat it. If you are still unsure, rephrase their answer to check your understanding of what they meant.
How to communicate
Communicate clearly and calmly. Go at a slightly slower pace than usual if the person is struggling to follow you but do not talk to them as if they were a child.
Allow time between sentences for the person to process the information and respond. These pauses might feel uncomfortable, but it is important to give the person time to respond.
Use short, simple sentences and give choices instead of asking open-ended questions. For example, ask, "Would you like coffee or tea?" instead of "What do you want to drink?"
When conversing, prompts can help, such as pointing at a photo of someone or encouraging the person to hold and interact with the item you are talking about.
Include the person in conversations with others. It is important not to speak as though they are not there as this can contribute to feelings of exclusion and isolation. Being included can assist a person with dementia keep their sense of self and help them to feel valued.
Lola Johnstone