Care-givers meeting - Communication and Activities for Dementia Patient
The monthly caregiver's meeting was held on Saturday, 12th March, 2011 from
2.30 – 3.30 p.m, at Memory Clinic, Ground floor, Millennium Block, NIMS.
This month's topic was "Communication and Activities for Dementia Patients". The audience comprised family members and ARDSI volunteers.
The first session was taken by Ms Rukhsana Ansari, General Secretary, ARDSI Hyd Deccan who explained about the importance of communication in our day to day life. She explained the reasons why communication is affected in dementia patients. Common communication problems faced included naming, recall, slowness in speech e.t.c. People with dementia have an insight in to the problems they face and to avoid affecting their sense of self-worth and self-respect, we should provide them the environment and support to communicate effectively.
Some of the tips for better communication included use simple and short sentences, providing choices, taking consent from patient, informing the patient prior to any activity, refrain from talking in front of the patient about their condition , avoiding arguments and confrontation, avoiding baby-talk while encouraging them for any task. She summarized the session saying that we should show courtesy and concern to the patients and actively engage in supportive communication.
Later Ms Safiya, Psychologist and Co-ordinator ARDSI Hyd Deccan took a session on the importance of activities for Dementia patients and said that the family is the best source to determine the activities appropriate for the patient. Activities need to account for preferences of the patient and stage of dementia. She highlighted the point saying that Activities are as important as medicines. Activities should suit the person's preferences, their level of Dementia and also their interest and abilities and should give them a sense of happiness and confidence. She shared her experience with the patients at the Rehabilitation centre [run by ARDSI Hyd Deccan twice a week ] using different pictures and videos of the patients.
The Programme concluded with Ms Rukhsana answering queries regarding how to deal with Communication problems in Dementia patients.
