Communicating & Cognitive Impairment: 10 Practical Suggestions from Senior Helpers In Home Elder Care of Chester County, Pennsylvania

Communicating with someone who has Alzheimer’s disease, has had a stroke, head injury, or another condition that causes cognitive impairment presents a special set of challenges. The person may have trouble understanding or being understood by you. He or she may experience difficulty in forming thoughts, finding the words to express them, or understanding what others are saying.

What are some of the practical steps you can take to improve your visits or caregiving involving a person who is cognitively impaired? Here are a few suggestions from professional and family caregivers:

1. Begin each visit or conversation by calling the person by name. Sit at his level, at a distance that seems comfortable, moving slowly to avoid startling him. Try to make eye contact before speaking.

2. Speak slowly, clearly, and at a volume appropriate for her hearing ability. Avoid shouting and overstimulation. Keep your messages short enough to fit her attention span; use short, simple sentences.

3. Give him time to organize a thought and respond. Choose open-ended questions that allo w a range of appropriate responses-ones that don’t have to be answered “yes” or “no” or with a specific fact. For example, “What did you do today?” is better than “Did you go out in the garden today?”

4. If you have to repeat yourself, watch to see if it’s best to say the same words exactly as before (so there is only one message to process) or whether it is more helpful to paraphrase or simplify. Similarly, if she is struggling for a word, is it helpful or frustrating to have you supply it?

5. Sometimes it may be appropriate for you to just talk, gauging reactions through visual clues, even if he is unable to organize a response. Just listening to you speak can be a pleasure.

6. The person may appear to be hallucinating or having delusions. This is a time to follow the recommendations of professionals involved in caring for the person. Often, it is best not to try to correct the person’s ideas or perceptions. Instead, focus on the associated feelings the person is experiencing. For example, a person sitting in the doctor’s office reception area may think she is at the airport; rather than repeatedly correcting her, you might say, “It’s getting to be a long wait, isn’t it?”

7. Remember the role of body language. Watch the person’s face and body for changes and reactions. Is she happy, sad, calm, or agitated? Can you pick up positive or negative reactions to a particular topic or activity? Your own body language is important, too. Show interest and involvement by leaning forward a bit.

8. Emotions, which often play a big part in communicating, may produce unpredictable or inappropriate responses. If you are facing emotional or behavior obstacles, discuss the situation with the person’s care professionals a counselor.

9. Don’t overlook the power of touch. Reinforcing pleasant emotions with a touch to the hand or a hug can help the person you are visiting or caring for feel calm, happy, and loved. But monitor the body language of the person to learn whether a hug or other form of physical contact is welcome and appropriate at a particular time.

10. Conversation is not the only-or even necessarily the best-form of communication. A cognitively impaired person may derive enjoyment and a sense of connection just by listening to music or someone reading, or by looking at books, photo albums, movies, or home videos.

Don’t judge the success or value of your communicating in conventional terms. You can’t expect a person with Alzheimer’s disease or other form of cognitive impairment to follow the usual patterns of conversation. She may not recall what the two of you just did, or even remember who you are. But the time and effort you spend helping her express herself and perceive your love and support can provide important moments of comfort and enhanced well-being.

About Senior Helpers:

Senior Helpers provides many in-home, caregiving services for the elderly in West Chester, Oxford, Jennersville, Chadds Ford, Honeybrook, Glen Mills and surrounding areas. We offer extensive in-home health care services for seniors who embrace their independence and the personal dignity that goes with it. Our in-home health care services are provided by bonded and insured caregivers all of whom pass a national background check.

If a senior family member needs in-home care services in Chester County, Lancaster County or Delaware County, Pennsylvania, we are an excellent choice with exemplary references. In-home care is the compassionate choice for your elderly loved ones’ continued independent living. We promise we will do our best to make it a positive experience for them and you. For more information, please visit: http://seniorhelpers.com/location/4227.