When a Loved One with Alzheimer’s Wants to Communicate
A Loved One Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and their Communication
Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease are chronic neuro-degenerative diseases that attack one’s mind and memories, beginning slowly and eventually quickly progressing as time goes on. Dementia and Alzheimer’s do not only affect a person’s memory, but also can affect speech, leave one in a confused and disoriented state, create drastic mood swings, – which affects behaviors – and the ability and awareness of self care. Some medications can also affect your loved ones communication skills, and affect them physically as well. These changes that may occur are different in every person, so it is very important that you stay in constant contact with your senior’s physician. As a result, having a two-way working communication relationship with a loved one who is suffering from Alzheimer’s can be a very taxing and frustrating one. It requires a lot of patience, selflessness, kindness, requires one to be a good listener, and one who is very understanding.
When your loved one is initially diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, they will still be relatively the same in their mental capacity and physical condition. This means that they will still be engaged in lively conversation, and will still be quite social if that is how they have always been. It is when they become overwhelmed by situations and by feeling over stimulated by lots of activity and noise, that they will retreat into themselves and begin forgetting things and becoming repetitive in their talking. They may also struggle with finding the correct words to use while trying to communicate. Always remember: They are struggling just as much, if not more, than you are. Patience, understanding, kindness, and love are the key to helping your loved one with Alzheimer’s, and the best medicine they could ask for.