Ten Tips for Communicating with a Person with Dementia

1. Set a positive mood for interaction.
2. Get the person’s attention.
3. State your message clearly.
4. Ask simple, answerable questions.
5. Listen with your ears, eyes, and heart.
6. Break down activities into a series of steps.
7. When the going gets tough, distract and redirect.

What are the 7 stages of dementia?

What Are the Seven Stages of Dementia?

• Stage 1 (No cognitive decline)
• Stage 2 (Very mild cognitive decline)
• Stage 3 (Mild cognitive decline)
• Stage 4 (Moderate cognitive decline)
• Stage 5 (Moderately severe cognitive decline)
• Stage 6 (Severe cognitive decline):
• Stage 7 (Very severe cognitive decline):

What should you not do with dementia?

I’m going to discuss five of the most basic ones here: 1) Don’t tell them they are wrong about something, 2) Don’t argue with them, 3) Don’t ask if they remember something, 4) Don’t remind them that their spouse, parent or other loved one is dead, and 5) Don’t bring up topics that may upset them.

What should you not say to someone with dementia?

Here are some things to remember not to say to someone with dementia, and what you can say instead.

• “You’re wrong”
• “Do you remember…?”
• “They passed away.”
• “I told you…”
• “What do you want to eat?”
• “Come, let’s get your shoes on and get to the car, we need to go to the store for some groceries.”

How do you deal with an angry person with dementia?

How to respond

1. Try to identify the immediate cause.
2. Rule out pain as the cause of the behavior.
3. Focus on feelings, not the facts.
4. Don’t get upset.
5. Limit distractions.
6. Try a relaxing activity.
7. Shift the focus to another activity.
8. Take a break.

What causes dementia to worsen?

Damage to small blood vessels deep in the brain can cause dementia that worsens gradually, like Alzheimer’s disease. When damage is due to a major stroke (potentially due to the blockage of a major blood vessel) or a series of small strokes, symptoms occur suddenly.

How long can an 80 year old live with dementia?

Progressive brain cell death will eventually cause the digestive system, lungs, and heart to fail, meaning that dementia is a terminal condition. Studies suggest that, on average, someone will live around ten years following a dementia diagnosis.

How do you make a dementia patient happy?

Continue reading to find out some suggestions of activities to do with you loved ones living with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

1. Exercise and physical activity.
2. Reminisce about their life.
3. Engage them in their favourite activities.
4. Cooking and baking.
5. Animal therapy.
6. Go out and about.
7. Explore nature.
8. Read their favourite book.

Does a person with dementia know they are confused?

In the earlier stages, memory loss and confusion may be mild. The person with dementia may be aware of — and frustrated by — the changes taking place, such as difficulty recalling recent events, making decisions or processing what was said by others. In the later stages, memory loss becomes far more severe.

How do you calm down someone with dementia?

Here are 10 tips for coping when an older adult with dementia exhibits difficult behaviors.

1. Music. Music therapy helps seniors calm down and reflect on happier times.
2. Aromatherapy.
3. Touch.
4. Pet Therapy.
5. A Calm Approach.
6. Move to a Secure Memory Care Community.
7. Maintain Routines.
8. Provide Reassurances.

What stage of dementia is anger?

The middle stages of dementia are when anger and aggression are most likely to start occurring as symptoms, along with other worrying habits like wandering, hoarding, and compulsive behaviors that may seem unusual.

What goes on in the mind of a person with dementia?

A person with dementia feels confused more and more often. When they can’t make sense of the world or get something wrong, they may feel frustrated and angry with themselves. They may become angry or upset with other people very easily. They might not be able to say why.

Should you correct a person with dementia?

Don’t correct, contradict, blame or insist. Reminders are rarely kind. They tell a person how disabled they are – over and over again. People living with dementia say and do normal things for someone with memory impairment.

Do dementia patients do better at home?

Of the 5.2 million people in the United States who have Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, 70 percent remain at home, an option that’s been shown to keep people healthier and happier and help them live longer.

Why do dementia patients get so angry?

Mental Triggers Confusion is one of the leading causes of anger and aggression in Alzheimer’s and dementia sufferers. Confusion can be triggered by lost trains of thought, mixed up memories, or a sudden change in the environment, such as a change from one caregiver to another.

Are dementia patients mean?

Sometimes, dementia can provoke so much aggression and anger that those around the person just aren’t safe, whether that’s the caregivers or other residents.