What is one communication improvement you will make to Maximise engagement for a person with dementia?

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“A 68 year old lady who is diagnosed with dementia has difficulty expressing herself as she cannot find words to do so. She has slowly lost her ability to express ideas and along with it there has been a significant change in her personality. She speaks less and has withdrawn socially. The inability to express her anger and resolve the matter keeps her agitated all the time. She refuses to talk to anybody and yells at anyone who tries to approach her. She says nobody is ready to understand what she has been going through all this while.”

Care givers dealing with people with such an illness need to be careful and aware while communicating, in both verbal and non- verbal communication. It is essential for care givers to understand the importance of non-verbal communication. According to research, people with dementia receive over 93% of their information about the world through non-verbal gestures. We have put together some tips to keep in mind while communicating with someone with dementia –

Verbal

Say the individual’s name and identify yourself
Refer to people by their names
Speak clearly and slowly
Speak with warmth and positivity
Simplify the words and make statements instead of asking questions
Talk to the individual as an adult, not a child
Answer questions in a calm and reassuring manner
Offer a guess when the person uses the wrong word or cannot find the word
Encourage the person when they are facing trouble expressing themselves
Move at the pace of the person that is according to their time and place

Non-verbal

Make and maintain eye contact while having a conversation
Have a pleasant look on your face
Observe the actions of the person and listen to the words carefully
Do not stand directly over the top of the person and bend down to their level so that they do not have difficulty in looking up
Avoid body language which conveys frustration, anger or in a rush
Watch for signs of frustration , anger, fear and act accordingly
Physical touch, a hug or a handshake, is very important

Effective communication can make a difference and give your loved ones the much needed assurance and ensure their overall wellbeing. After all, it is not the person but the disease which is difficult.

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We at Samvedna Senior Care aim to help seniors live happy, active and independent lives, in the comfort of their home and community through interactive caregiving.

Samvedna Senior Care was established in October 2013 with two complementary goals – firstly to provide quality home care services to seniors with limited mobility and social interaction due to various constraints, and secondly to facilitate stimulating community interaction and participation.

Our Dementia Care services are –

Dementia intervention activities by trained Care Specialists (already mentioned above)

More – https://www.samvednacare.com/service/dementia-care

Day Wellness Centre, Sector 57 Gurgaon –

A place which provides your loved one with social activities and therapies to enhance quality of life, relief for caregivers, and also an alternative to institutionalized care.

More – https://www.samvednacare.com/community/caregiver-care

Our Dementia Support group in Delhi NCR is a platform for caregivers to share feelings and support each other. We meet once a month at the Samvedna Senior Centre in Gurgaon.

More – https://www.samvednacare.com/dementia-support-group

Please call us for more info – 98184 21446, 124 4229659

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Memory and intellect deteriorate as dementia progresses, yet people with dementia continue to interact. How staff respond can have profound effects on a person’s wellbeing.

Barriers

Barriers to communication may relate to individual issues or to social and physical environments. Personal barriers may include:

health status
physical ability
cognitive and sensory ability
emotional wellbeing
personality and mood
culture and knowledge of English.
A facility’s institutional values and philosophy affect the social environment through policies on:
staff recruitment and training
staff-to-staff communication
routines
rosters
staff–resident ratios
staff encouragement and support.

In the physical environment, communication is affected by:

building design and layout
size of rooms
size and placement of furniture
width and length of corridors
extent of private space
lighting
ambient noise.

Principles

Change: As dementia progresses adjust how you communicate to suit a person’s changing needs.

Context: Guide a person through any task, activity or request by explaining or describing what is happening or about to happen.

No expectations: Make it clear verbally and non-verbally that a person may respond or not as they wish; that nothing is required of them.

Reassurance: Communicate verbally and non-verbally to reassure a person they are accepted.

Consistency: Verbal responses and non-verbal communication should not contradict each other.

Strategies

Talk to a person, rather than about them to others.
Address a person by their preferred name, not ‘dear’ or ‘love’.
Tell a person what you are doing or going to do.
Focus your full attention on the person and make eye contact.
Use words and sounds of encouragement.
Do not use a demeaning or condescending tone of voice or hostile gestures or stance.
Do not invade a person’s personal space.
Speak at a slower pace.
Pause between one topic and the next.
Use prompts such as pictures, photographs and simple signs.
Accept a person’s feelings.
Use non-threatening physical contact.
Do not make abrupt changes to routines.
Get to know a person’s life story so you have a store of background information for questions and conversations.
Use individualised memory books to improve and keep communication skills.
Use written and pictorial signs in significant places around the facility.
Place memory charts containing photographs, brief statements about the person and conversation topics on bedroom walls and other appropriate places to aid communication.
Use other techniques and therapies that help communication like aromatherapy, attention focusing, bright light therapy, massage, music therapy, pet therapy, reminiscence sessions and walking.

Reviewed 18 February 2016

dementia careengagementperson centered

Communication is an essential part in enhancing the quality of life, especially for dementia residents. Dementia creates challenges for how people understand what is being communicated to them, along with being able to express themselves to others. This language deterioration is known as aphasia. Difficulties that arise from not being able to communicate can lead to depression, anxiety, feeling of neglect, loss of personal stimulation and other basic needs of life. In many instances, language skills will vary “day to day”, and are different for each individual. Trying to accommodate all spectrums of dementia is challenging but by encouraging proper ways of communication, care-takers will be able to provided more valuable care.

We all need to communicate with other people, whether it is non-verbal or verbal. Communication gives us a sense of identity and helps us maintain our quality of life.

Non-verbal communication can be the most effective style of communication to connect with a person who has dementia. This can include facial expressions, touch, and gestures. It is important for family members and caregivers to pay attention to these behaviors, because it will make for a more purposeful relationship.

Here are six tips to effectively communicate with individuals non-verbally, and to help work through the challenges that caregivers and family members often face:

1. Personal Appearance

Appropriate clothes, hair and body scent can make a person with dementia more relaxed and comfortable with you, because that may remind them of someone they knew.

2. Approach Individuals from the front

People will become more familiar with you when they feel like they are being respected. By approaching them from the front, you will give them a chance to process who you are and what you are asking.

3. Body Language/ Eye Contact

A person with dementia will be able to detect your body language, sudden movements which can cause distress on the person and can make it hard to communicate. Demonstrating what is being asked will give the person a visual perception.Respect the person’s personal space but make sure to drop down to eye level, this will allow the individual to feel more comfortable and in control of the situation.

4. Facial Expressions

Tense facial expressions can also cause distress. Soft facial expressions and smiling will give the person enjoyment. So remember, something as simple as starting a conversation with a smile can go along way!

5. Touch

Physical contact will give the person a sense of care and affection. Simply by holding someones hand, rubbing their shoulder or giving them a hug will provide reassurance and comfort.

6. Dance/Music

Music and dance can spark memories of happy times in a person’s life.Make sure to know what type of music a person enjoyed growing up and allow them to create moments of joy.

Tips: communicating with someone with dementia non-verbally and verbally: http://alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_inf