Communication in Alzheimer's World

Life as an Alzheimer’s caregiver is not an easy one. Bob DeMarco with Alzheimer’s Reading Room writes on more efficient ways of coping with difficult behavior. The approach is that instead of constantly correcting your loved one, you should work with their mindset. The idea is that the one afflicted can’t change, that is up to the caregiver.

Instead of feeling obligated, the caregiver should choose their battles. There are many ways to respond to a person afflicted with Alzheimer’s, and through these responses behavior and the emotional/mental wellbeing of those in care can be greatly improved. This is an excellent article on proper and effective communication, as well as better understanding.

I feel very confident when I say this. While a person suffering from Alzheimer's can't remember, they are full of feelings and emotions. As a caregiver, when you try to correct a person with Alzheimer's you are likely to bring out a negative emotion in them.

How would you like to be told over and over -- you are wrong? How would you act? What emotion would you be likely to express? Would you like the person that is constantly telling you -- you are wrong? I'll let you decide the answer.

Effective communication with someone suffering from Alzheimer's requires you to identify the emotion behind the persons words. To learn ways to address what they are feeling and to validate those feelings. Right now, it is likely that when a person suffering from Alzheimer's says something that is opposed to reality --as you understand it -- that you immediately feel an urge to correct them (or worse). Is this you? You aren't listening when you do this.

You are making the situation about you and your feelings -- not about them. You are trying to drag the person into your world -- this is unlikely to happen and it rarely, if ever, works. You want to avoid any and all situations that lead to an argument. When an argument ensues it is likely that the person suffering from Alzheimer's gets agitated and says those mean and angry words you dread.

Read More at Alzheimer’s Reading Room

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