Reposted from https://memoryfnd.org/2024/10/14/the-hope-for-early-detection-and-prevention-of-alzheimers-disease/.
Alzheimer’s disease can make communication difficult for both caregivers and the person with Alzheimer’s. This page covers how Alzheimer’s can change how a person communicates and provides tips for how to manage these changes.
How does Alzheimer’s change communication?
People with Alzheimer’s may struggle with:
- Finding the right word when speaking
- Understanding what words mean
- Paying attention during long conversations
- Organizing words logically
- Keeping their train of thought when talking
- Blocking out background noises from the radio, TV, phone calls, or conversations in the room
Alzheimer’s causes some people to get confused about language. For example, the person might forget or no longer understand English if it was learned as a second language. Instead, they might understand and use only their first language, such as Spanish.
Tips to cope with communication challenges
Keep the following suggestions in mind to make communication easier:
- Make eye contact and call the person by name.
- Be aware of your tone, volume, facial expressions, and body language. Try to avoid appearing angry or tense. Show a warm, loving, and matter-of-fact manner.
- Encourage a two-way conversation if the person is able.
- Be open to the person’s concerns, even if they are hard to understand or address.
- Be patient with angry outbursts. Try a distraction, such as offering a favorite snack or a walk outside. If you become frustrated, take some time to calm down.
- Allow more time for the person to respond. Be patient and try not to interrupt.
- Don’t talk about the person as if they are not there.
- Don’t talk to the person using “baby talk” or a “baby voice.”
- Use methods other than speaking to help the person, such as gentle touching to guide them. Hold the person’s hand while you talk.
When speaking to a person with Alzheimer’s, try to ask questions with a yes or no answer, and if the person does not understand what you say the first time, try rephrasing what you said with different words.
Here are some examples of how to change what you say to the person with Alzheimer’s to make communication easier:
| Avoid saying | Say this instead |
|---|---|
| What do you want for dinner? | Do you want fish or chicken for dinner? |
| That’s not how you do it. | Let’s try it this way. |
| How do you feel? | Are you feeling sad? |
| Are you hungry? | Dinner will be ready in five minutes. |
Be aware of nonverbal communication. As people lose the ability to talk clearly, they may rely on other ways to communicate their thoughts and feelings. For example, their facial expressions may show sadness, anger, or frustration.