When your aging relative has dementia, it can be difficult to communicate with them.
They may be confused and not understand the situation or be unable to express what they are thinking or feeling. Their memory loss may also make them forget important details about their lives, like a recent move, events, or who certain people are. As a result, they may ask caregivers questions that can be tough to answer.
General Communication Tips
Before tackling those difficult questions, it can be helpful to know some strategies for making communication with older adults easier overall.
Some tips you can try are:
Keep Things Positive: Before you start a conversation, keep in mind that your body language communicates your true feelings and a person with dementia can pick up on that. Keep your voice pleasant and touch the person gently to remind them that you care about them. Make sure your facial expression stays pleasant, too.
Gain Their Attention: Sit or stand directly in front of the person where they can see your face. Touch their hand or arm to put their focus on you.
Speak Simply: Use short, simple sentences to communicate. Avoid asking open-ended questions. Ask questions that give the senior a choice between a couple of things instead.
Answering Tough Questions
Sometimes memory loss and confusion cause older adults with dementia to ask questions that are uncomfortable to answer. They might ask when they can go home, when someone who has passed will be back, or who a family member is. They may even repeat the questions over and over.
The first step is to determine if you really need to answer the question. For example, if the senior is asking about a loved one that has passed, it may be better to distract them from the question if you believe it will upset them too much to hear the truth. Or, if they’re asking to go home, you might consider the emotion behind the question rather than the question itself. They may be longing for something familiar because they feel confused and anxious. In that case, reassuring them and distracting them with an activity they enjoy may do the trick.
Elderly care providers can help to answer difficult questions, too. Elderly care agencies do their best to match staff members with the needs of the older adult. That means that your aging relative’s elderly care provider is likely to have experience with communicating with dementia patients and dealing with difficult questions.
For more information about hiring Home Care in La Jolla, CA, call the friendly caregivers at La Jolla Nurses Homecare who can help your aging parents remain in their own homes, at 858-454-9339. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable senior care in La Jolla, CA, and the surrounding communities.
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