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Communicating & Connectingwith Individuals Who Have Dementia

Alzheimer’s Orange County

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Objectives

• Learn practical tools & techniques in communication

• Understand how the use of these tools can reduce and even prevent challenging behaviors

• Practice new skills which will enhance well-being in your patients with memory impairments.

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• Dementia is a general term that describes a variety of progressive, terminal brain impairments that affect memory & thinking.

• Although there are about 70 different types, the most common one is Alzheimer’s disease.

• Dementia is NOT a part of the normal aging process

What is dementia?

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What is dementia?

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What changes?

• Memory

• Language / Communication

• Task Ability

• Visual-Spatial Perception

• Behavior

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Activity: seeing the world through the eyes of a person with dementia

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Alzheimer’s disease: a disease of emotions

Confusion Discomfort Behavior

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Effective communication and flexibility

Prevention and reduction of symptoms

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Important Guidelines in Communication

• Understand what isn’t possible to change– “lower your expectations & you will lower your frustrations”

• OUR thoughts, beliefs and actions significantly impact THEIR behavior– Your body language, tone and attitude matters!

• All behavior has meaning– All behavior is about unmet needs!

• Connecting overrides the task– Connecting & communicating with patients is always

more important than the task at hand

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• Raises resident self-esteem

• Lowers resident frustration

• Strengthens resident independence

• Enhances relationship

Benefits of Compassionate Communication

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Steps to Compassionate Communication

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1. Be a good listener

• Express interest

• Don’t interrupt

• Focus on feelings

• Be patient

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2. Facilitate a connection

• Establish eye contact• Use touch and

gestures• Use a calm voice• Speak simply and

slowly

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3. Check the environment

• Excess stimulation; i.e. too much activity or noise; too many people?

• Loud or unidentifiable noises?• Too bright or too dark settings in hallways,

common rooms, resident rooms?• Mirrors or other reflecting surfaces, patterned

wallpaper?• Too many changes in staff or routine?

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4. Adjust your approach

• Think ahead

• Give simple directions

• Ask one question at a time, avoid open ended questions!

• Be mindful of facial expressions and body language

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5. Focus on remaining skills

• Match activities to abilities• Give praise and offer

compliments• Encourage activities of

independence• Respond to feelings, not

words• Establish routines• Emphasize long-held skills

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Effective Communication

Do:• Repeat• Accept blame• Leave room• Agree• Use distraction

Don’t:• Reason• Argue / Confront• Remind• Question recent memory• Take it personally

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• Avoid insistence. Try again later. “If you don’t insist, they can’t resist!”

• Agree with them or distract them to a different subject or activity

• Accept the blame when something’s wrong (even when it is not our fault)

• Leave the room, if necessary, to avoid confrontations

More do’s!

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Final do’s

• Give short, one sentence explanations.

• Be patient, cheerful and reassuring. Do go with the flow.

• Practice 100% forgiveness. If they could control their behavior, they wouldn’t have this diagnosis!

• They can’t remember your praises, compliments and reassurances. Keep repeating them.

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Other helpful suggestions

• Last Word Connection

• Other Forms of Communication

• Humor

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• Address the person by name he or she prefers

• Avoid sudden movements• Give one-step directions using short

familiar phrases• Use non-verbal communication –

visual clues, gestures, touch, smile

Communication Style

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Formula for success!

• Respond to feelings (validate)

• Reassure

• Distract/Redirect

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Techniques to remember

• Remain calm

• Respond to feelings

• Reassure the person

• Remove yourself, return later

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What we do

• Telephone support

• Family Care Consultation

• Family Orientation• Activities for people

with mild memory loss• Support and discussion

groups

• Education and support programs for families and professionals

• Clinical trials

• Public Policy and Advocacy

• Safety and Wandering education

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