Communication and Dementia

When a loved one is struggling with dementia or Alzheimer’s, it’s scary for the patient and their friends and family. Many of the day-to-day activities and conversations completely change and a new approach and awareness must be considered. Depending on the advancement of their condition, here are some things to consider when communicating and engaging someone with dementia from the Alzheimer’s Society:

We all need to communicate with other people. We need to tell other people a wide range of things, including our needs, wishes and feelings. How well we can communicate will affect our quality of life, as well as how much we are able to keep our individuality and sense of identity.

Dementia can make it hard for people to communicate, and this can be upsetting and frustrating for them and those around them. However, there are many ways to help you support and communicate with each other. This factsheet gives tips and advice for communicating with someone with dementia, and supporting them to communicate in whichever way works best for them.

A person with dementia may have trouble finding the right word, they may repeat words and phrases, or may become ‘stuck’ on certain sounds. In addition, people with dementia are likely to have other sensory impairments (such as sight or hearing problems) which can also make it harder to communicate. If someone is not able to express themselves properly, they can lose confidence, or feel anxious, depressed or withdrawn. They may also behave in ways others find odd, because they are trying to communicate what they can no longer say with words.  READ MORE