Sage Advice for Caregivers Dealing with Dementia Patients
Acting as a caregiver is never an easy task, but if the patient you are looking after has dementia, it becomes an even more difficult burden. Patients with dementia often cannot be left alone, and you have to worry not only about taking care of their health but also their safety. Plus, as the dementia worsens, the patient will become and more and more difficult to communicate with, and their mood swings can be distressing. If you find yourself in the position of caring for someone with dementia, learning to understand their condition and how to communicate with them as effectively as possible is critical for both of you. This will help the patient get what they need and will help lighten the load that you are carrying. Here are some tips to keep in mind when you are faced with a loved one with dementia.
First, know that the unspoken communication signals you use are as important as the words you choose. Sometimes, a patient with dementia may have a difficult time understanding your exact meaning, which can be alarming to them. However, if you use a calm tone of voice and maintain a friendly expression, even if your message is not getting across, the fact that you’re trying to be helpful and positive will. Losing your temper and raising your voice will escalate a bad situation and can be extremely unnerving for the patient – not to mention the fact that you will feel guilty afterwards. If you don’t think you can maintain your composure at any given moment, wait until later to deliver the message you need to deliver.
Of course, if you want to be understood, it helps if there is nothing else competing for the patient’s attention. Focus is a tremendous issue with dementia, and if you are trying to talk to the patient while you are also watching TV, playing music or anything else distracting, you are unlikely to be able to get your point across. Keep things calm and quiet to make talking easier.
When the patient tries to respond to you, keep an eye on their nonverbal communication. It’s very common for a person with dementia to mix up their words, or to struggle to come up with any words at all, but you may be able to help them get their own point across if you pay attention to their behavior. Do they seem alarmed? If you’ve asked them to make a decision about something, can they point at what they want? Do everything you can to help them make themselves understood.
Your response also matters. If you’ve asked a question, if the patient can’t answer you or if they give you an answer that doesn’t make sense in relation to the question that you have asked, be calm. Judge the situation and decide if you should ask another way or wait until later. Never argue with a person who has dementia. Physical affection is important here as well. A hug can calm a patient down, let them know they are safe, and in turn help them communicate better.
Last but not least, remember to keep it simple and clear. You may need to find a new way of talking when you’re dealing with a patient with dementia. It is in our nature to pepper our sentences with pronouns and slang terms, but this can confuse a person suffering from dementia. Call everyone and everything but its proper name so the patient is not left guessing and use visual aids and clues when possible. Communication will always be a challenge for caregivers and dementia patients, but the right approach can make a potentially extremely stressful prospect much easier to manage.
