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
Communicating Effectively With Your Parent As Their Alzheimer's Disease Progresses
Johnny Rodriguez
Your aging parent has Alzheimer's disease and it's beginning to be hard to communicate with them. Memory loss and dementia are two components of this disease that make it difficult for them to stay focused and respond to you. Patience and planning are required if you wish to stay connected with your parent as long as possible. Here are some ways that professional Alzheimer's care providers communicate with their patients.
1. Minimize distractions in the area as you talk with your parent.
Your parent is sensitive to sounds around them and find it hard to focus on the conversation they are having with you. Simple noises such as a leaf blower outside or a TV playing in the next room will keep your parent's attention away from the conversation. Get rid of the extraneous noises or take your parent to a quiet place before starting a conversation.
2. Use techniques to keep your parent focused on the conversation.
As you see your parent wander away from the conversation, use these methods to being them back to the two of you:
- Keep eye contact with your parent and ask them gently to look at you.
- Touch them lightly on the forearm or hand and say their name softly.
- Acknowledge any distractions and bring their attention back to the conversation:
"That was a loud noise outside. Would you like to go for a walk with me in the park?"
3. Keep the tone of the conversation positive.
Your parent will also become more sensitive to emotional energies around them. If you've just had a frustrating drive in traffic to get to the care center, sit for a few minutes to calm yourself down before approaching your parent. Your parent may become agitated in your presence as they pick up on your frustration.
4. Be patient with your parent's memory loss.
Your parent may struggle to find the right words to use in the conversation as they lose their cognitive abilities. Resist the temptation to finish sentences for them and allow them time to come up with their own words. Other techniques you can use include:
- Show your parent the items you are speaking of, such as the shirt you are asking them to wear for that day.
- State your own name and relationship to your parent as you speak with them:
"This is your daughter, Barbara, and I wondered if you would like to wear the red blouse today?"
5. Ask questions that require a simple response.
Stick to "Yes or No" types of questions, or questions that require other one-word responses. Your parent will become frustrated with too many choices and may withdraw from the conversation. Give your parent plenty of time to respond, and if they appear confused, ask the question again using the same words as before. Stating the question using different words can be more confusing for them.
Share