Tip of the Week 04/21/03

04-21-2003

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When communicating with and Alzheimer’s patient be aware of your body language and make sure your actions match your words. Even though you might use kind and gentle words, the person with Alzheimer’s will pick up tension in your face and body, and feelings in the tone of your voice. Small changes in word choice and sentence structure may also cause confusion in the person. Use the same words in the event you need to repeat a message. The person may not notice the similarity between statements such as: “Please sit down here,” and “Why don’t you come here and have a seat?” Also, always be sure to maintain eye contact, smile, and use touch to comfort and reassure the person.

(Source: Alzheimer's Association)

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