How To Communicate Effectively With Someone With Dementia Wesley Choice Speak clearly and calmly: make sure they can hear clearly. speak more slowly, if necessary, allowing pauses in between. show them they’re respected and valued: whether someone has dementia or not, everyone wants to feel respected. avoid talking about them as if they’re not there or as if they are children. A person centered approach is the key to communicating with anyone suffering with cognitive decline. all expressions — words, gestures, actions and body language — have meaning. “how one approaches or interacts with those experiencing dementia starts with knowing the individual as a person,” states marlee, a nurse in the arbor at wesley.
How To Communicate Effectively With Someone With Dementia Wesley Choice Meet the dementia whisperer. september 8, 2022. memory impairment can be scary and stressful for both the person experiencing symptoms and for the caregiver. laura wayman, known as the dementia whisperer, has dedicated her life to giving meaning and purpose to those diagnosed with dementia or memory impairment. Skills is the way you approach the interaction. when interacting with someone living with dementia, remember to… here are a few basic communication tips: 1. make sure adaptive aids (i.e. eye glasses, hearing aids) are clean and working, and there is enough light 2. be at eye level, face the person, and use appropriate eye contact 3. Positioning yourself so that they can see your face and mouth. making eye contact. sitting or standing face to face rather than standing over them. smiling. using hand gestures, such as pointing. 15 communication tips for talking to someone with dementia. communicating effectively with someone who has dementia requires understanding and compassion. certain strategies may help make conversations go more smoothly, ensure the person with dementia feels heard, and decrease frustration for both parties. communicate in a familiar environment.
How To Communicate Effectively With Someone With Dementia Wesley Choice Positioning yourself so that they can see your face and mouth. making eye contact. sitting or standing face to face rather than standing over them. smiling. using hand gestures, such as pointing. 15 communication tips for talking to someone with dementia. communicating effectively with someone who has dementia requires understanding and compassion. certain strategies may help make conversations go more smoothly, ensure the person with dementia feels heard, and decrease frustration for both parties. communicate in a familiar environment. Before speaking, allow the person to see your face to know who is talking. keep your face and body language relaxed and positive. do not interrupt a person with dementia or try to finish their sentences. be patient and calm. speak slowly and clearly, but do not raise your voice or talk down to someone. For the person living with dementia, maintaining relationships can be a complex process, especially when verbal communication is affected. the following changes are common: difficulty finding a word. creating new words for ones that are forgotten. repeating a word or phrase (perseveration). difficulty organizing words into logical sentences.
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