27forParkinsons: Day 25 (Monday)
Communication and Connection
Communication is essential for maintaining our identity and connecting us to others. The content of your everyday exchanges may be relatively unimportant. What counts is its role in connecting us together
Language skills and vocabulary can diminish as dementia or illnesses progress, however the desire to communicate does not. People continue to want to understand and be understood. You can keep the communication going even when it feels one-sided.
The person with dementia may forget details of recent events, or the event itself. This is not an indication of indifference or lack of significance, it is simply one of the major impacts of dementia.
Good communication tips:
Talk to the person, not the carer, family member or friend
Greet the person with a smile and get their attention
Make eye contact and use body language.
Speak clearly
Express one idea at a time - provide information in small chunks
Use simple direct questions
Don't offer too many choices
Remove distractions
Be patient, don't rush, allow the person time to find the right answer
Don't prejudge the person's level of understanding
Don't take the person literally
Use humour
Use clear and simple language
Don't argue or confront
Respect the person's dignity
As I've said previously it's not always easy to follow the guidelines/hints/suggestions put forward by the experts - just don't beat yourself up if you slip up ... I know I was guilty of talking for Bill on many many occasions (maybe if I'd known then what I know now it may have been different), patience would run out at times (when you're existing on 3hrs sleep). Also, remember it's sometimes difficult to establish fact from fiction.
Whenever I go to the Gallery I always take another look at the amazing intriguing stunning work of Annemeike Mein ... here's a few pics of the current display .... to really appreciate the work you need to click on each photo ... truly amazing
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