Communicating is Tough for People with Alzheimer’s – Here is What You Need to Know

Alzheimer’s disease affects people in many ways. If your elderly loved one has this disease, they may start by only struggling with slight memory loss. However, as the disease progresses, your elderly loved one will struggle with severe memory loss, communication issues, behavior problems, and much more.

One of the main difficulties for family caregivers to handle is not being able to communicate well with their elderly loved one who has Alzheimer’s disease. If this is a problem for you, it is important to know that communicating can be tough for people with this disease. This doesn’t mean you can’t communicate with them. Keep reading here for tips on having better communication with your elderly loved one.

Using Simple Words and Sentences

Senior Care Jericho, NY: Alzheimer’s and Communication

When communicating with your elderly loved one who has Alzheimer’s disease, it is important that you use simple words. Your elderly loved one is going to start having focus and concentration issues. They are also going to start having difficulties understanding bigger words. This may have already happened. If so, using simple words will help them to better understand what you are saying. In addition to using simple words, you should be using short sentences. People who have Alzheimer’s disease can’t hold focus long enough or understand longer sentences. The more simple you keep things, the better you can communicate with your elderly loved one.

Minimize Distractions as Much as Possible

There are going to be some things that you can’t control when talking to your elderly loved one. For example, if you are in a grocery store, you can’t control how loud everyone else is being. However, there are times when you can control distractions. For instance, if you are in your elderly loved one’s home, you can turn their television off when talking to them. The fewer distractions there are when talking to your loved one, the longer and better they can focus on what is being said.

Don’t Treat Them Like a Baby

It is very important that you don’t treat your elderly loved one like they are a baby. This disease is already hard enough on them. When someone is in the earlier stages of Alzheimer’s, they may feel ashamed. They may also feel like they are a burden to their loved ones. Talking to your elderly loved one like they are a baby will only worsen these feelings. Let your elderly loved one be independent as much as possible. Talk to them with respect and understanding.

Conclusion

Taking care of someone who has Alzheimer’s disease is difficult. The communication issues they experience can make it tougher. However, if you use the tips mentioned above, your elderly loved one can focus on you and understand you much better. This can greatly improve the communication you have with them. If you need a break, don’t hesitate to contact senior care providers. They are trained at communicating well with Alzheimer’s patients.

If you or an aging loved-one is considering Senior Care in Jericho, NY please contact the caring staff at Brookville Homecare today. 516-802-7722

Sources

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/dementia-communication