I learned that nonverbal communication and patience often work best when dealing with someone living with Alzheimer's disease.
By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room
Basically, the video showed the older daughter caring for her mother who had Alzheimer's disease.
The video was very well done.
I found myself feeling an entire range of emotions as I watched. I was very happy to see that the daughter was very caring. I was also saddened as I watched and saw the feelings of sadness and frustration on the face of the daughter from time to time.
Alzheimer's does that. It brings out feelings and emotions sometimes in waves.
| Subscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading Room |
There was one scene where the daughter wanted the mother to get up out of her chair and go to bed. The mother shook her head no, and when prompted to get up said NO. A typical response in Alzheimer's World.
The daughter then reached down and tried to grab her mother by the arm and pull her up. This was not in any mean, or rough way. The mother recoiled and pulled her arm away.
This reminded me that sudden movements really don't work well with Alzheimer's patients. In situations like this one the patient is more likely to dig in their heals and be more recalcitrant.
You don't want to bring out the "hardheadedness" in someone with Alzheimer's. This leads to the hard NO. The NO -- where the Alzheimer's patients shows you "who is the boss".
I learned that nonverbal communication often works best with someone who has Alzheimer's disease.
Here is the way I approached similar situations.
I'll would say to my mother time to get up. Often she said NO, I don't want to. I say "its time." Rule number one here, less words are better when delivering a follow-up to the word NO.
Always try and use the fewest words possible. Not "you need to get up", or "you know blah blah blah", or "if you don't blah blah blah". Skip the blah blah blah. Its too much information, can make you seem "bossy", and can confuse the person living with dementia.
I say "its time". Then I hold my hand out, palm up, palm facing my mother so she can see it. I am offering her my hand. No words are needed.
If she doesn't look at my palm, I wiggle it a little bit until she looks. No words. Just the palm.
An open palm signifies a few things non-verbally. The obvious -- take my hand. The less obvious but powerful nonverbal communication -- I am receptive to you, I like you. That is right. When a person is talking to you and they open their palms out toward you -- they like you, they are receptive to you.
Point counterpoint. When a person turns their palms out they like you. Lets compare this to when a person folds their arms across their chest, what does this tell you?
It tells you they are not receptive to what you are saying, they don't like what you are saying, and it is making them uptight. The exact opposite of the offering of the palm, the crossed arms mean they are "closing you off".
Back to mom, the open palm, and offer of my hand.
When I offered the palm of my hand and stood there silent and waiting it sometimes seemed like I might be standing there for a very long time.
In situations like this, time takes on a different dimension. So standing there for 20 to 30 seconds holding your palm out might seem like an eternity. If you are not aware of this "time" it is easy to get stressed or to start reacting with your mouth. Silence often causes people to start talking.
Persons with Alzheimer's react to stimuli slowly, in this case the offering of the palm.
Alzheimer's World is a slow motion world. And when dealing with the person living with dementia you must deal with them on their terms.
Should it be a surprise that a person with Alzheimer's moves and reacts slowly? I don't think so.
Should you allow this slow motion world, Alzheimer's World, to turn you "Topsy Turvy" all the time? I don't think so. But I bet it does.
You can't hurry in Alzheimer's World. You have to slow down and learn to take a few deep breaths.
Like I said, Alzheimer's World is a slow motion world and this requires you, the Alzheimer's caregiver, to learn to operate at a new speed and to learn a new kind of patience.
It isn't easy. You have to practice -- over and over and over. Or, you can continue doing the same thing over and over, if so go ahead bang your head against the wall.
You can't hurry love by the way. So when you are practicing patience and the offering of the palm just think of it as another way of saying -- I love you.
You always get to choose.
Choose stress, frustration, anger, -- or -- feeling good about yourself when you accomplish your mission.
Your choice.
Related content.
- Alzheimer's Disease Statistics
- Test Your Memory for Alzheimer's (5 Best Tests)
- What is the Difference Between Alzheimer’s and Dementia
- Dementia and the Eight Types of Dementia
- What is Alzheimer's Disease?
- Why I Invented Alzheimer's World and the Power of Positive Reinforcement
- Learning How to Communicate with Someone Suffering From Alzheimer's Disease
Bob DeMarco is the Founder of the Alzheimer's Reading Room and an Alzheimer's caregiver. The ARR knowledge base contains more than 3,811 articles with more than 306,100 links on the Internet. Bob lives in Delray Beach, FL.
Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room
