Do’s and don'ts for communicating with someone with dementia

Providence Senior's Health Team

If someone you care about has dementia, the challenges of breaking down your communication into simple ideas, concepts or directions can be frustrating. And it’s equally difficult for the person living with a rapidly diminishing ability to understand others and, in turn, be understood.

Dementia describes a decline in mental ability that’s severe enough to disrupt your daily activities. It is a progressive condition that causes changes to the brain that lead to increased forgetfulness and a decreasing ability to think, reason and problem solve. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, which also includes Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia, Parkinson’s disease, frontotemporal dementia and mixed dementia.

Learn more about the progression of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and challenges of communicating with someone with the condition from Dr. Maureen Nash at Providence Elder Place in Portland, Oregon. Listen here.

Depending on the severity of their condition, someone with dementia may exhibit any or all of the following characteristics:

Difficulty finding the right words
Describing objects instead of naming them
Reverting to a first language
Easily losing their train of thought
Combining unrelated phrases or ideas in one thought
Relying heavily on gestures over speech
Speaking less often

Here are some strategies to help make communication a two-way conversation you both enjoy.

Find a doctor

The team of specialists at Providence understand that caring for someone with dementia requires a wide range of services to help you meet the changing physical, emotional and mental needs of everyone involved. You can find a Providence geriatric specialist using our provider directory. Or, you can search for a primary care doctor in your area.

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This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions.

About the Author

From how to identify and treat heart diseases to exercise tips to maintain an active lifestyle, the Providence Senior's Health team is committed to providing real-world advice that is hyper-relevant to helping those 65+ find ways stay young at heart
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