RESOURCES FOR AGING WELL
SeniorsBlueBook.com
Maintaining positive, loving communication in the midst of the daily stress of caring for a family member living with dementia can be challenging for everyone involved, but it is essential for the health and well-being of each member of the family. How you talk with your family member, how much they understand, and how you make them feel when you are talking with them impacts your relationship, the overall vibe at home, and whether they are accepting of your help and guidance or refuse it.
refer to someone who has passed as alive, resist correcting them; join them in their world rather than forcing them into yours. Keep it Simple: Break tasks down into simple steps; use five words or less in a sentence, visuals instead of words when possible, and nonverbal cues like pointing or showing. Be patient—wait at least 20-30 seconds for answers and offer a choice between two options rather than asking them an open-ended question or too many choices.
COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND SERVICES
Dementia Care: A Positive Approach to Communication
D•D
Be Calm: People living with dementia are highly empathetic, often mirroring the emotions—good POSITIVE COMMUNICATION and bad—of their caregivers. So, APPROACHES be aware of your body language, Eliminate Distractions: Minimize facial expressions and tone of voice. extra noise (fans, radios, whistling If you’re becoming irritated or hearing aids) and visual distractions frustrated, walk away, take a deep (glasses on/clean, TV off). If the breath, and try again when you are person is seated, sit down; connect relaxed. with them at eye level. To get their As a Dementia Care Center attention, gesture, smile, offer your of Excellence, Presbyterian hand and make eye contact. SeniorCare Network is committed to sharing our expertise and Avoid Conflicts: A person living providing educational support to with dementia will forget facts, improve dementia care, especially but they will never forget how for people living with dementia you make them feel. Rather than repeatedly arguing about tea kettles at home. To learn more about services for family caregivers visit left on the stove, buy an electric PSCNDementia360.org. kettle with an automatic off. Label cabinets with pictures to avoid Editor’s Note: This article was written by frustrating searches and promote Presbyterian SeniorCare Network. Contact independence. When they talk us at www.SrCare.org to learn more. See our ad on page 176. about long-ago events as though they are currently happening, or Indicates website link on seniorsbluebook.com
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