Common Communication Challenges for Individuals with Dementia
Dementia is an umbrella term for a collection of symptoms commonly caused by a group of diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, which cause abnormal changes to the brain. These diseases can affect many aspects of a person’s life and health—from behaviors and relationships to cognition and communication.
It can feel overwhelming to experience communication challenges and other symptoms, and family caregivers may also struggle to cope with these changes their loved one is facing. Speech therapy can help individuals with dementia implement strategies and tools to support their information processing, language, and communication abilities. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can also help family members learn how to better support their loved ones.
In this blog, we’ll explore how dementia can affect communication, including the common challenges. We’ll also take a look at how you can support your loved one and reduce communication difficulties.
About Communication and Dementia
Any type of dementia, including Alzheimer’s, can lead to problems with speech and language as the disease damages the brain. The type and severity of communication difficulties can vary, depending on the type of dementia and its stage. Those with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), for instance, are more likely to develop language problems early.
Within the same individual, language challenges can even vary from morning to night and from day to day. For example, your loved one may struggle more with speech when they are frustrated, tired, or sick. In addition, in a noisy, “busy” environment, your loved one may have more trouble following and participating in conversations than in calm, quiet environments.
Common Communication Challenges with Dementia
Your loved one may display a number of communication challenges that can benefit from speech therapy in SF. Some of the most common issues include:
Conversation Following: It’s common for patients with dementia to display problems staying focused on conversations. They may also have trouble participating in conversations, as they struggle to find the right words for a response.
Information Processing: Information processing difficulties can also make it more difficult for your loved one to follow along and participate in conversations. For example, they may have trouble understanding what is being said to them, and they may need more time to think about it.
Sight and Hearing Problems: Many people with dementia may also have vision and/or hearing impairments, which can impact their communication. Hearing impairment can make receptive language skills (understanding what is being said) more challenging, while vision impairment can lead to difficulty identifying nonverbal communication cues, like gestures or facial expressions.
Repetition: It’s not uncommon for someone with dementia to repeat themselves, such as by asking the same question multiple times.
Word Selection: Word selection can be tricky for someone living with dementia. They might:
Be unable to find the right word
Use words/sounds without meaning
Jumble up words in the wrong order
Use a substitute for the right word (e.g. “thing that tells time” instead of “clock”)
Use a word that’s related (e.g. “floor” instead of “ground”)
How Communication Issues Can Affect Patients
People living with dementia may be aware that their ability to communicate is changing. It can be an immense source of frustration to be unable to find the right words, and this can lead to anxiety, depression, and loss of self-confidence. Family and caregivers may find that their loved ones’ behavior has changed as a result.
When to Seek Speech Therapy
It’s commonly known that early intervention is key for young children who are experiencing language delays, and the same is true of adult patients who are beginning to experience dementia symptoms. While dementia is typically a progressive condition meaning that it is not reversible, it’s ideal to work with an SLP as early as possible to learn how to navigate various communication challenges and preserve language skills for as long as possible.
By working with a speech therapist to improve communication skills, your loved one may experience less frustration with everyday life. The speech therapy will provide cognitive-communication support by teaching compensatory strategies (e.g., using memory books, calendars), using evidence-based approaches to maximize your loved one’s independence in daily activities, and much more. A speech therapist can also help you learn how to better support your loved one at home by providing environmental and caregiver training.
What Can Family Members and Caregivers Do?
When your loved one starts speech therapy in SF, the SLP can also help you learn how to communicate more effectively with them. Here are some tips:
Setting the Stage
Before attempting to communicate, make sure your loved one’s needs are met. For example, if they are hungry or thirsty, they may find it more difficult to focus on the conversation.
Note whether your loved one communicates better at a particular time of day, and take advantage of it.
Ensure the environment is ideal for communication. Turn off the TV and radio, be face-to-face with your loved one, ensure good lighting, etc. .
Adapting your Communication Style
Use visual and written supports to provide more context while you talk. For example, show a photo of what you’re talking about or point to it as you talk about it.
Try using yes/no or choice questions (e.g., do you want tea or juice?) to support communication
Be patient and resist the urge to interrupt or finish your loved one’s sentences.
Repeat what they said to show understand. If something is unclear, ask choice or open-ended questions to gently guide them to clarify their thought.
Providing Support and Empathy
Be patient. Your loved one may need longer to process information and develop a response.
Be empathetic. Dementia symptoms can be incredibly frustrating. Allow your loved one to express their feelings. Provide validation and offer your care and support.
Focus on connection over correctness.
Get Started Today with Speech Therapy in SF
At The Speech Path in San Francisco, we know how difficult it can be to watch your loved one suffer from the symptoms of dementia, and we know how challenging it can be to care for them on your own. We’re here to support your family, and ensure you and your loved one have the tools to navigate speech and language difficulties.
Cognitive-communication therapy can help individuals with dementia live life to the fullest. Contact us today to discuss scheduling speech therapy in SF. Our friendly SLPs offer telehealth and in-home speech therapy services.