Please be patient! Don’t give up on me! I really DO want to be a part of the conversation…. Judy Berry works with individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia at the Lakeview Ranch. She originally entered this list of communications tips as a comment. This was the first time I had seen a list of communication tips from the perspective of the person suffering from dementia. As you know, most lists of Alzheimer’s caregiver communications tips are tips from people without dementia suggesting how you can best communicate with people that have probable Alzheimer’s or dementia. These communication tips reverse the paradigm. These tips are from persons in an early stage of Alzheimer’s, dementia, or memory loss. By Judy Berry Communication Tips Directly from Individuals with Early Memory Loss Speak with a smile, so I know that you care If you are tense, remember I feel your tension too A smile takes away tension and helps put me at ease Use language I understand – keep it simple, no jargon or slang Slow down your speech Keep it short and to the point, one idea at a time Let me take the time to think through what you said to me Let me set the pace of the conversation Let me be the leader in the conversation – give me charge of the conversation Make sure you have my attention Pause once you say your thoughts Pause so I can say my thoughts Give me time to find the words and to say my thoughts Take turns during a conversation Let me finish what I am trying to say, it takes a little longer, sometimes it takes a lot longer Please repeat information if I ask Make sure I hear you, ask if I understand what you have said Tone of voice – adjust it up or down. Louder is NOT always better Face me when you talk, eye contact helps to get my complete attention Please, don’t interrupt me Please be patient! Don’t give up on me! I really DO want to be a part of the conversation Also see — Judy Berry Wins Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Community Health Leaders Award Judy Berry is the founder and CEO of Lakeview Ranch. Lakeview Ranch provides a unique model of specialized dementia care for those with aggressive behavior. The model focuses on prevention, rather than treatment to manage behavior. Judy is also the Executive Director and founder of the Dementia Care Foundation. Subscribe to the Alzheimer’s Reading Room Enter Your Email Address More About the Alzheimer’s Reading Room 60 Good Reasons to Subscribe to the Alzheimer’s Reading Room Alzheimer’s CareGiving — Insight and Advice Test Your Memory for Alzheimer’s (5 Best Self Assessment Tests) Communicating in Alzheimer’s World Worried About Alzheimer’s Disease — You Should Be What is Alzheimer’s? What are the Eight Types of Dementia? Does the Combination of Aricept and Namenda Help Slow the Rate of Decline in Alzheimer’s Patients Alzheimer’s Disease Statistics Is it Really Alzheimer’s or Something Else? Ten Symptoms of Early Stage Alzheimer’s Ten Tips for Communicating with an Alzheimer’s Patient The Alzheimer’s Action Plan