Effective communication

Transcript

This video offers helpful tips for communicating with someone living with dementia. Small changes in your communication can significantly improve understanding, support good moods, and lead to smoother interactions.

1. Ensure the person can see you. Sit or kneel at eye level or lower.

2. Make eye contact.

3. Physical contact can also help some people. Assure they know you are their before you touch them.

4. Check hearing aids. Assure they are charged and properly fitted.

5. Minimise background noise.

6. Speak clearly not loudly. Speak more slowly and enunciate.

7. Rephrase if needed.

8. Use gestures.

9. Try writing it down.

10. Be patient and wait for responses.

11. Respond and engage with what they are expressing even if it does not make sense to you.

12. Listen to their tone and match their energy.

13. Do not correct or invalidate what they are telling you.

14. Try "Really? Can you tell me more about that?"

15. Avoid speaking over a person's head to others, especially if it is about them.

16. Include them in conversations.

17. Let them lead and involve them in decisions as much as possible.

18. Support a rich and active social life.