Getting your MESSAGE Across
A diagnosis of dementia can be a scary pronouncement in anyone’s life. Whether you have received the diagnosis, or you are a family member or part of a person’s care circle who has received a diagnosis, you are likely to have many questions about the road ahead. There is so much information to absorb and you may be looking at where to start.
Speech pathology can play an important part in your support team. Speech pathologists work in three main areas with clients who have a diagnosis of dementia.
Photo by Danie Franco on Unsplash
1. Support memory function
We help with ideas and strategies to preserve personal memories through journaling and story-telling
We can assist in setting up systems to reduce the client’s cognitive and pressure on their executive functioning system with tools such as diaries, schedules and reminders for routine activities
2. Support communication by helping our clients and their family and friends implement
successful tips and strategies for communication that maintain the client’s self-esteem
and quality of life while living with dementia (Conway & Chenery, 2016)
3. Support safe swallowing - clients with dementia often experience a decline in their
ability to successfully coordinate their swallowing mechanism. A weak or uncoordinated
swallow places a client at risk for complications such as aspiration of food and fluids
which can lead to chest infections and a whole host of health complications. As speech
pathologists, we assess our client’s swallowing abilities and assist them with managing
risks related to their swallowing.
Here are some fantastic tips and strategies to facilitate communication with the people in your life who are living with dementia and get your MESSAGE across:
MAXIMISE attention
Attract attention - use the person’s name, move to their eye level, maintain eye contact
Avoid distractions - turn off the background noise and move to a quiet place
Make sure only one person at a time is speaking
Give your communication partner your full attention
EXPRESS yourself through your body language
Stay relaxed and calm
Show that you’re interested by leaning forwards and nodding your head when it’s appropriate
SIMPLIFY your language without talking down to your communication partner
Use short, simple, direct sentences
Use familiar words
Use specific words rather than general terms such as ‘she’, ‘it’, ‘there’
Use questions with yes and no answers
Suggest choices to help them express their needs and wants
SUPPORT their conversation
Give them time
Help them find a word by suggesting a word or asking “Do you mean__?”
Repeat then rephrase
Remind them of the topic by clearly mentioning the topic of your conversation, repeating the topic throughout the conversation and making it clear when you change the topic
ASSIST with visual AIDS
Use gestures and actions
Use objects and pictures
Use written words if the person is able to write
GET their message
Listen
Watch
Work it out by piecing together their words and non-verbal cues
Consider their likes and dislikes, experiences and interests
ENCOURAGE and ENGAGE in communication
Use photos and memorabilia to talk about interesting and familiar topics
Talk about family and friends
Don’t ask test questions
Don’t argue if they seem confused
Acknowledge feelings, give reassurance and move on
Newcastle Speech Pathology supports clients with dementia and their families as they navigate the path ahead. We’re here to help.
MESSAGE communication strategies in dementia, University of Queensland 2009
Conway, E. R., & Chenery, H. J. (2016). Evaluating the MESSAGE Communication Strategies in Dementia training for use with community-based aged care staff working with people with dementia: a controlled pretest-post-test study.
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