How to Have Meaningful Interactions with Those Who Have Difficulty with Conversation

Living with a parent with dementia is a tough challenge for anyone who faces such a problem. Irrespective of what caused dementia, irreversible disturbances in the work of the brain can radically change a person’s life. He/she ceases to understand and remember new information, think logically, does not recognize his children, and close friends can be considered dead relatives for a long time.

Gradually the patient loses all life skills and can not stay alone, can no longer rejoice, wonder, or empathize. A person literally loses his identity. Therefore, caring for dementia patients at home is a compassionate issue that must be carefully considered by anyone dealing with this illness.

If you are wondering how many caregivers are caring for parents with dementia, it is about 15.7 million adult family caregivers care for someone who has Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia.

Dementia care at home is a task for professional nurses and caregivers who are experienced in the field and know how to care for someone with dementia, on an expert level, in order to maintain not only the wellbeing of the patient but also to keep safe the psychological state of the family that care for their beloved parent who is suffering from dementia.

It can be difficult for a person with Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia to initiate and maintain conversations. However, it is possible to have meaningful and engaging conversations with your patients or loved ones who suffer from dementia. By leading, prompting and guiding the conversation with simple statements and questions, you’ll be able to yield important information and have meaningful exchanges.

Part of caring and treating people with dementia involves maintaining an engagement in life and improving their ability to communicate. A feeling of wellbeing comes when our words are shared and acknowledged by others. When a person’s ability to speak becomes limited, it is important that we recognize other forms of communication. Even direct eye contact or a shared smile can be worth a thousand words.

These tips will help you better engage your patients or loved one with dementia.

Starting Conversations

Make sure that you look directly at the patient when you speak. This will help hold their attention and focus on what you are saying. If you are an unfamiliar person, or the patient may not remember you, start by introducing yourself. State your name and role. Don’t wait for the person with dementia to start talking. Start the conversation by presenting a topic. An excellent place to start, when caring for someone with dementia at home, is by asking to look at family photos with them.

Speak Simply

Giving too much information at one time can be confusing for patients with dementia, so be sure only to offer one idea at a time. Use simple words and short sentences but speak lovingly. How to deal with dementia in a parent? Do not be patronizing; it is disrespectful. Use hand gestures or facial expressions to emphasize your words. Sometimes it is easiest to ask short yes or no questions or to use multiple-choice questions. For example, ask, “Would you like soup or a sandwich?” not, “What would you like for lunch?”.

Conversation Helpers

For those who have an even more difficult time speaking and understanding the oral conversation, use pictures as topics of discussion. And when necessary, write what you need to say. It will give the patient a better chance to understand.

What to Avoid

• Don’t be patronizing. Speak in an adult manner and with respect.
• Don’t yell. Louder sounds can actually be harder to hear or understand, and angry facial expressions can agitate and confuse the patient.
• Don’t whisper or speak too quickly. Speak at a reasonable volume and at an understandable pace.
• Don’t interrupt at all. Allow the patient time to complete their thoughts.
• Don’t talk about the patient in their presence as if they are not there. Acknowledge their presence and respect their dignity, even if you are trying to speak with a loved one about their medical treatment.
• Don’t speak to the person unless they are facing you. Eye contact is essential for the patient to be able to focus on what you are saying.
• Don’t attempt to engage the patient in a noisy environment. They can be easily distracted by what else is going on.
• Don’t ask lengthy or complicated questions. Instead, ask simple, short questions.
• Don’t ask questions that require the patient to recall names.
• Don’t argue. Try changing the topic instead.
• Don’t demand a verbal response from the patient. Accept attentive listening, hand gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact as a response.

What to Avoid When Dealing with a Parent with Dementia

Most importantly, don’t give up trying to have meaningful conversations with your patient or loved one!

How to Care for Someone with Dementia?

As you can see, caring for a dementia patient requires extensive experience and the ability to patiently communicate with the sick person, so as not to provoke ill health. Only real experts in the care of such patients can cope with this task. This is the exact kind of service we offer at All American Home Care. Our nurses and caregiver experts will find the right approach to your beloved family member with dementia, provide proper medical care and help so that you can overcome this difficult period together, and without any psychological problems. Contact us today, and we will be happy to help you and your loved ones!