Caring for people with dementia: How relatives can communicate better

Caring for people with dementia: How relatives can communicate better

Caring for people with dementia places an immense burden on relatives. Antje Heßenius, an experienced nurse, would like to help these people deal better with the demanding situation. In an interview with Rhine Palatinate She explained the importance of using American gerontologist Naomi Feil's communication method. Her approach aims to improve communication with disoriented people by empathically responding to their needs.

Heßenius emphasizes that the attitude towards people with dementia is crucial. Relatives should empathize with the feelings and reality of those affected. This form of communication, known as validation, respects the feelings of dementia patients and helps to strengthen their self-esteem. PPM online describes validation as a method that not only takes the patients' feelings seriously, but also reduces stress and improves the quality of contact.

Creative communication strategies

In order to better respond to the social and emotional needs of people with dementia in everyday life, relatives can use various validation techniques. Loud Care Panorama The focus is on verbal methods. These include: open-ended W-questions, mirroring statements, and stimulating memories that are linked to previous experiences.

It is also important that relatives learn to communicate non-verbally. In the advanced stages of dementia, up to 90% of communication is non-verbal. These include techniques such as maintaining eye contact at the same level, touching gently or adjusting the tone of the voice to the emotional state of the person affected. A careful approach can have a calming effect.

Steps for successful validation

A step-by-step guide for a validating conversation could look like this: First, family members should take time for themselves to center themselves and put away all distractions. Then it's important to establish a connection through eye contact, mention of the name and full attention. The focus is on perceiving the emotions of the person with dementia - great attention should be paid to facial expressions and posture.

• Aktives Zuhören ohne Unterbrechung
• Spiegeln der erkannten Gefühle
• Gemeinsamer Abschluss des Gesprächs

By regularly training these techniques, relatives can greatly improve their communication skills within just six weeks, which is recommended by the German Alzheimer's Association. The aim is to create a positive interaction and give the sick person a feeling of safety and security.

All in all, it shows that validation is a valuable concept that can be easily integrated not only in geriatric care, but also in other care settings. Workshops and training courses help caregivers and relatives to expand their knowledge of this sensitive communication method and to deal more effectively with people suffering from dementia.