Several weeks ago, a dear family friend of mine suffered a devastating stroke. For a few days, his family members didn’t know if he would survive this event. Thankfully, he did. Now, he is undergoing the slow recovery process in a nursing home. Since his stroke, his family has been amazing. They visit him daily at the nursing facility. They have even decorated his room in an effort to make him feel like he is at home. If your loved one has recently been admitted to a nursing home, don’t despair. You may be able to help your loved one adjust to this living situation better by being supportive. On this blog, you will discover the ways to make your loved one’s transition to a nursing home easier.
A Home Away from Home
Learning To Communicate With A Parent Who Has Alzheimer's
Johnny Rodriguez
If you have a parent who has started to show signs of Alzheimer's disease, you'll notice that communicating with them is also getting more difficult. There are ways to stay connected with your parent that the Alzheimer's care professionals use. Here are some of those tips so you can communicate easier with your aging parent.
1. Create a positive space in which to communicate.
Your parent will become more sensitive to the emotions of people around them. If you approach your parent while you are anxious or agitated, they will pick up on that and become anxious themselves. They won't be able to focus on your words because of how they feel. Before talking with your parent, take a few moments to relax and let your emotions calm down. If you can't relax, you're better off postponing the conversation until you can approach your parent calmly.
2. Minimize any distractions.
Besides the energy of the people around them, your parent will pick up on any little distraction in the environment. The kids playing in the room next door or a loud truck outside is enough to break their concentration during a conversation with you. Take your parent to a room where distractions are minimal. Or wait until a quieter time of the day.
3. Help your parent stay focused.
Memory and attention begin to fail with Alzheimer's. Your parent may begin having difficulty identifying faces and physical objects. Throughout the conversation, maintain eye contact with them and remind them of the items you're talking about. If you can hold the item in front of your parent while talking about it, you'll reinforce the words with the physical item for them.
For instance, while holding the shirt in front of them, look in your parent's eyes and gently say, "I thought you might like to wear this shirt for our visit to the park this afternoon."
4. Keep questions simple, requiring simple answers.
When you ask your parent a question, phrase it so they can answer "Yes" or "No." As Alzheimer's progresses, cognitive thinking becomes impaired. A question such as "Would you like to wear the blue shirt today?" is easier for your parent to answer than "Would you like to wear the blue, red or green shirt today?" Fewer choices is easier for your parent to focus on.
5. Use redirection to keep the conversation focused.
If your parent's mind begins to wander away from the topic, acknowledge what they said and bring them back to the conversation. This can work if they are distracted by something too. For example:
"Yes, we will be having your favorite chicken dish tonight for diner. Now, as we were discussing, would you like to wear the blue shirt today?" "That was quite a loud noise outside. So, would you like to wear the blue shirt today?"
Conversing with a parent who has Alzheimer's requires patience and understanding. Try some of these tips and stay connected with your aging parent.
For more on Alzheimer's care, do an online search for a local facility.
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