When it happens
Severe-stage dementia
Why it happens
The ability to communicate without words outlasts the ability to communicate with speech.
What you can do
Pay close attention to subtle signals in order to learn this unique language. Note when certain expressions occur. For example, someone who grimaces when turned a particular way in bed may have a pulled muscle or a bed sore.
Use gentle, loving touch. That's a language that can still be understood loud and clear.
Continue to use, and even exaggerate, your own nonverbal communications to help make yourself understood. Smile more broadly than usual, or frown empathetically when asking a question about something that may be wrong.
