Communicating With A Dementia Patient: Avoiding Irritation And Distress

Assisted Living

Dementia disorders can come with many new behaviors that can upset you as the caregiver and your senior loved one with dementia. You need to understand that not all situations are avoidable or preventable. However, knowing a few tips and tricks can help reduce irritation and calm down everyone involved. Remember that just because the ability of your senior loved one to communicate diminishes, their needs do not. Oftentimes, calling out in anger means that some of their needs are going unmet. Being a caregiver, it is your responsibility to try and find the unmet need.

While trying to communicate and calm down your senior loved one with dementia, there are some important things that you can do to prevent agitation. Senior care experts in our assisted living facility share these important things to help you.

Connect

Take a brief moment to connect with your senior loved one while making any communication. This is especially important when the interaction is task-oriented like feeding, dressing or bathing. Never rush in front of your senior loved one with dementia and get right to the task. Finding a few seconds to make a connection and letting them feel secure can work wonders. You can greet your loved one by name and ask if there is anything that they need or how they are doing. After that, you can suggest the tasks that need to be completed and the likelihood of your loved one cooperating is very high.

Look Level

Try to look into the eyes of your senior loved one and speak with them at their eye level. You can sit, or squat to let them not feel intimidated by you towering over them. Speaking at eye level will not make your senior loved one feel threatened and they will be more open to communication.

Hold Their Hand

Holding the hand of your senior loved one can help convey safety and security. This can make them feel secure and more open to communication. While holding their hand, preferably hold their dominant hand.

Your approach to your senior loved one and your non-verbal actions can help make a big difference. While communicating with your loved one suffering from dementia disorders, do not use a lot of words and try to speak simply. Also, remember that every person is different. You need to be gentle and patient and find tips and tricks that work best for you and your senior loved one.