After speech is lost, how can we communicate effectively with an Alzheimer's patient?
1 answer
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Last updated: Aug 24, 2010
Q
How can we communicate effectively with a person who has Alzheimer"s and has lost the ability of speech? She is Italian and also speaks English.
A
A social worker and geriatric consultant who specializes in dementia care, Joyce Simard is based in Land O' Lakes, Florida, and in Prague. She...
Use clues and cues. For instance when it is time to eat, gesture eating and take her hand while beckoning her with the other hand. Showing her soap, a towel, and a bathrobe will help signal that it is time to bathe.
Also don't be surprised if she loses her understanding of English as her disease progresses and will only understand Italian. You may need to resort to holding cue cards written in Italian if you do not speak the language.
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