A person with dementia, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, will eventually lose the ability to remember and understand basic information, including names, dates, and locations.
A person with dementia gradually loses the ability to communicate, affecting their ability to reason correctly and express logical ideas.
If you are caring for someone with dementia, you may discover that as the condition advances, you may need to initiate conversations for the individual to communicate. As their ability to interpret information progressively declines, their answers can become slower.
How Does Dementia Impact Communication?
Dementia can severely impair a person’s capacity for communication since it damages the areas of the brain engaged in language and comprehension. Patients with dementia may have trouble understanding verbal and non-verbal cues, following conversations, or finding the correct words. People with vascular dementia frequently experience slurred speech, which can make them agitated or frustrated.
Additionally, patients could struggle to remember previous conversations, comprehend information, or articulate themselves clearly. These communication issues can lead to feelings of loneliness, confusion, and frustration for the person with dementia as well as their family caregivers.
Tips to Communicate with a Person with Dementia
Since dementia affects each individual differently, it’s critical to communicate in a way that suits them. Pay close attention and consider what you want to say and how you will say it. You can also converse effectively without utilizing spoken words.
Here are some tips that can help you communicate with your dementia patient effectively.
Before You Communicate
Ensuring the Person is Comfortable
- Ideally, a good place to communicate should be peaceful and serene, with adequate lighting. Turn off distractions like the TV and radio since busy settings can make it particularly hard for someone with dementia to focus on the conversation.
- Consider using the time of day when the individual can speak more clearly to discuss needs or ask questions.
- Take advantage of the good days and figure out how to adjust to the worst ones.
- Before you begin, make sure that any other needs of the person are satisfied, such as that they are not in pain or hungry.
Getting Ready to Communicate with a Person with Dementia
- Consider how you might feel if you had difficulty communicating and what would help.
- Make time to spend with the individual. If you are feeling pressured or stressed, take some time to calm down before proceeding.
- Reflect on past interactions with the individual and what facilitated effective communication at that time.
- Before you begin, get the person’s complete attention.
Considerations for Conversation Topics
- Consider what you’ll be talking about. It may be beneficial to have a topic idea ready.
- You can benefit from using the person’s surroundings if you are unsure what to discuss; anything they can see, hear, or touch may pique their attention.
Listening
How to Listen to Someone with Dementia
- Listen carefully to what the person has to say. Encourage them verbally and nonverbally, for instance, by nodding and maintaining eye contact. This “active listening” technique helps enhance communication.
- Body language can reveal a lot about an individual’s feelings. When they speak, you can tell exactly how they are feeling by the look on their face and the way they carry themselves.
- If you don’t understand what they said, request them to repeat it. If you are still confused, reword their statement to verify that you understood what they meant.
- If the person with dementia is struggling to finish a statement or find the correct word, ask them to describe something in a different way. Listen and keep an eye out for hints. Ask them to describe an object if they are unable to find the word for it.
Assisting the Individual to Express Themselves
- Give them enough time to react; they can take longer to take in the information and formulate a response.
- Avoid interrupting someone, even if you are helping them find the right term, as this might disrupt the conversational flow.
- Allow the person to vent their emotions if they are upset. Give them the time they require and avoid brushing off their concerns; sometimes, listening and demonstrating your presence are the best courses of action.
How to Communicate
Tips to Communicate with an Individual with Dementia
- Communicate with clarity and calmness.
- Use brief, straightforward sentences.
- Be patient and show them respect instead of treating them like a child.
- Instead of asking the same questions repeatedly, which can be intimidating or exhausting, try to have a conversation with the person.
- Involve the person in conversations with others. It’s critical not to speak as if they’re not present. Being included might help them maintain their individuality and feel appreciated. Additionally, it can make them feel less alone or ostracized.
- If the person tires easily, short, frequent conversations may be preferable.
- Refrain from speaking loudly or aggressively.
Ways to Pace Conversations
- If the person is having trouble following you, slow your pace.
- Allow enough time between statements for the individual to comprehend and respond. These pauses may be uncomfortable if they get too long, but it is critical to provide the person time to answer.
- Try not to assume you know what the other person is trying to say too quickly; instead, try to let them finish their sentences.
What to Consider about Body Language
- Ideally, you should stand or sit in front of the individual and have a well-lit face so they can see and hear you clearly. Instead of standing over them, try to be at eye level with them.
- Make eye contact as you would with anyone, and stay as close as is comfortable for both of you so that you can hear each other well.
- Using prompts, such as pointing to a picture of someone or asking them to hold and handle an object you are discussing, can be beneficial.
- Try to keep your body language open and calm.
What to Communicate
Tips for Asking Questions
- Avoid asking too many questions or ones that are too complex. If the person cannot find the answer, they might get frustrated or withdrawn.
- Adhere to a single idea at a time. Although it’s vital to give someone a choice, having too many options can be perplexing and annoying.
- Ask questions in a way that makes a straightforward response possible. For instance, ask if someone would prefer tea or coffee instead of what they would like to drink. Answering questions with a “yes” or “no” response is easier.
How to Respond if the Person Has Trouble Understanding
- If you repeat anything but they still don’t understand, try expressing it differently.
- Consider dividing your message into smaller, more manageable portions if the person is having trouble understanding.
- Attempt to laugh together over misunderstandings and errors. You can become closer and release tension by laughing. Ensure the other individual doesn’t think you’re making fun of them.
Alzheimer’s Research Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping caregivers of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. We provide the latest information and news about the illness and helpful tips to help caregivers cope with their daily caregiving challenges. We realize the most important thing that a caregiver needs is financial assistance. Therefore, we provide grants to caregivers to ease their financial burden. Caregivers can apply for grants here: Alzheimer’s Grant Application.
You can also help caregivers in their endeavor by donating as much as possible: Donation To Alzheimer’s Research Associations.
References
- How to communicate with a person with dementia. Alzheimer’s Society. https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/symptoms-and-diagnosis/symptoms/how-to-communicate-dementia. Accessed: 21st April, 2025.
- Communicating with someone with dementia. NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dementia/living-with-dementia/communication/. Accessed: 21st April, 2025.
- Effective Communication Techniques and Tips for Helping Clients With Dementia. Health at Home. https://healthathome.care/careers-in-caring/communication-tips-for-clients-with-dementia/. Published Online: 15th October, 2024. Accessed: 21st April, 2025.
- Ten Tips for Communicating with a Person with Dementia. Family Caregiver Alliance. https://www.caregiver.org/resource/ten-tips-for-communicating-with-a-person-with-dementia/. Accessed: 21st April, 2025.
