Download Yellow plain template - RDNS & Institute logo 2011

“Getting to Know Me”
Enhancing Skills in the Care of People with
Dementia
Session 3
Communicating with people with dementia
3.1
Aims
 To explore a range of ways staff can adapt their communication
approaches (verbally and non-verbally) to compensate for the
difficulties experienced by people with dementia
 To explore dilemmas in communicating to people with a different
perception of reality to our own
3.2
Watch the video clip and observe the
different modes of communication and
the skills/techniques employed in the
clip...
3.3
Communication skills
 Reduce conflicting stimuli such as background noise
 Speak facing the person to ensure good eye-contact. Avoid
approaching and addressing people from behind – it can startle
 Slow down
 Reduce the length of sentences to give just one piece of information
at a time
 Point to pictures or objects as you talk about them to supply
additional information
 Be conscious in your facial expression, body posture and use of
speech and sounds to show you are fully attending and listening
 Listen to the intonation. This may be communicating more than the
words themselves. Focus on the feeling behind the words.
3.4
Edith is 96, she is a client/patient on your
facility and she has dementia. Edith
frequently asks staff if they have seen her
mother (Edith’s mother died many years
ago). She appears anxious. People
respond to her in different ways. What
might you say?
3.5
“As we become more emotional and
less cognitive, it’s the way you talk to
us, not what you say, that we
remember”
Christine Bryden 2005, p138
3.6
For the next session
Please reflect on the following;
• What are the positives and negatives about the
physical care environment within the care setting for
people with dementia?
• How could you put to good use greater knowledge
about a patient who has dementia e.g. information
on their life, interests, likes and dislikes etc?
3.7
References:
• Brooker, D and Surr, C (2005) Dementia Care Mapping:
Principles and Practice. University of Bradfor
• Brooker, D (2007) Person-Centred Dementia Care: making
services better. London. Jessica Kingsley
• Bryden, C (2005) Dancing with Dementia Jessica Kingsley
• Kitwood, T. 1997Dementia Reconsidered: the person comes first.
Open University Press
• NICE (2010) Delirium, diagnosis, prevention and management.
Clinical Guideline 103 for people with dementia
3.8