Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that impacts the thinking, memory, and behavior of patients. The symptoms will progress with time and become serious enough such that patients have difficulty carrying out daily tasks.
If your loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, you may find it harder to communicate with your loved ones. You may think that poor communication is a natural consequence of Alzheimer’s disease. However, that is not the case. Learn what are the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and why your loved ones may have trouble communicating with you. Read on to find out how to communicate better with your loved ones to improve their quality of life.
Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease
If your loved ones are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, they may struggle to understand the meaning of words when they are in a conversation with someone else. They may find it difficult to pay attention and get increasingly distracted during conversations. They may struggle to find the correct word when conversing and could lose their train of thought when speaking to others. You may also notice them blocking out background noises during a conversation. They become frustrated when they are unable to communicate and are very sensitive to loud noises. They may also lose their ability to speak a second language.
Reasons for Poor Communication in Alzheimer’s Disease
If your loved ones have Alzheimer’s disease, they may start to struggle with communication because they cannot remember things. The death of the neurons in their brains may also affect their processing and cognitive skills. This would also cause them to have a declined standard of communication.
How to Communicate with Your Loved Ones When They Have Alzheimer’s Disease
- Make eye contact with your loved ones when you are talking to them
If your loved ones have Alzheimer’s disease, there are still ways to communicate with them. One way is to continuously make eye contact with your loved one. To ensure that your loved ones pay attention to you, you can also call your loved ones by their names so that they can engage better during conversations.
- Moderate your tone when talking to your loved ones
If your loved ones are very sensitive to your tone, do note that your non-verbal language plays a big part in helping your loved ones be more willing to communicate with you. So, you can moderate your loudness of voice, tone, and your body language.
- Distract your loved ones and reduce their stress
If your loved ones have trouble communicating and seem to become very agitated, you may want to find ways to distract them from the conversation. This will help reduce their stress levels when communicating with others. It will also reduce the risk of them withdrawing from you.
With these tips, you may be able to communicate better with your loved ones. However, it is possible that despite your best efforts, you may still struggle to communicate with your loved ones. If you require more assistance, our team at Rittenhouse Village At Valparaiso will be more than happy to help you.
