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Am back from my second class in the Family Caregiver Series thing. Still having a lot of overlap with stuff I've figured out for myself. I'm hoping at SOME point I'll learn some useful stuff. I'll stick to the same format as last time.
Below is a list of what he talked about and my rating :D
1. Exploring Communication - This was actually quite interesting. It talked about how we communicate. In a person with Dementia/Alzheimers verbal communication accounts for only 7%. Body language is 55% and other verbal cues, like tone or pitch is 38%. I'm assuming this a broad average as each person would be different I imagine.
2. How Alzheimers affects Communication - This was also very interesting. It talked about the sort of changes Alzheimers causes that affects the ability to communicate. It also talked about the areas of the brain that involve communication which is pretty much all of it.
3. The Relationship Between Communication and Behaviour - This part I have already come to grips with through living with my mom. This area talked about how as the person's ability to verbalize decreased or their frustration with not being able to communicate increased, (not necessarily the same thing by the way) they would start relying more and more on behaviour. So if the person you're looking after is doing something you think is weird (as in not their usual weird behaviour), that might be their way of trying to tell you something. Sadly, you're the one that has to figure it out.
4. Strategies and Tips for Communicating with a Person With Alzheimers - This was the one I was most interested in. Sadly, yep, it's pretty much all the stuff I've already been doing. Like not correcting, distracting, don't use big words etc. They also talked about how to establish communication, which I suppose will be useful as she gets worse.
Most interesting fact - How the brain works so that we can communicate. Oh my gosh! Also, as people with get worse, if English is their second language, they will revert to their original language. Which makes sense.
Most annoying fact - None of the facts were annoying but people's reactions were. I can't believe how many people were shocked by the fact that it's not a good thing to argue with someone with Alzheimers or that it's OKAY to lie to them. You are in for a long and rocky ride if you get all het up about those two things.
Below is a list of what he talked about and my rating :D
1. Exploring Communication - This was actually quite interesting. It talked about how we communicate. In a person with Dementia/Alzheimers verbal communication accounts for only 7%. Body language is 55% and other verbal cues, like tone or pitch is 38%. I'm assuming this a broad average as each person would be different I imagine.
2. How Alzheimers affects Communication - This was also very interesting. It talked about the sort of changes Alzheimers causes that affects the ability to communicate. It also talked about the areas of the brain that involve communication which is pretty much all of it.
3. The Relationship Between Communication and Behaviour - This part I have already come to grips with through living with my mom. This area talked about how as the person's ability to verbalize decreased or their frustration with not being able to communicate increased, (not necessarily the same thing by the way) they would start relying more and more on behaviour. So if the person you're looking after is doing something you think is weird (as in not their usual weird behaviour), that might be their way of trying to tell you something. Sadly, you're the one that has to figure it out.
4. Strategies and Tips for Communicating with a Person With Alzheimers - This was the one I was most interested in. Sadly, yep, it's pretty much all the stuff I've already been doing. Like not correcting, distracting, don't use big words etc. They also talked about how to establish communication, which I suppose will be useful as she gets worse.
Most interesting fact - How the brain works so that we can communicate. Oh my gosh! Also, as people with get worse, if English is their second language, they will revert to their original language. Which makes sense.
Most annoying fact - None of the facts were annoying but people's reactions were. I can't believe how many people were shocked by the fact that it's not a good thing to argue with someone with Alzheimers or that it's OKAY to lie to them. You are in for a long and rocky ride if you get all het up about those two things.
