Dementia: Tips for Communicating Communicating with a person who
has Alzheimer's disease or another dementia can be very
challenging. Changing your approach to the way you communicate
may be helpful. - First, make sure the person does not have a
hearing or vision problem. Sometimes a person may not respond to
you because he or she cannot hear you. Not being able to see
well may make the person more confused, agitated, or withdrawn.
If you suspect a problem, have a health professional evaluate
the person's hearing and vision. - Don't argue. Offer
reassurance, and try to distract the person or focus his or her
attention on something else. - Use short, simple, familiar words
and sentences. Present only one idea at a time. And avoid
talking about abstract concepts. - Explain your actions. Break
tasks and instructions into clear, simple steps, offered one
step at a time. - Pay attention to your tone of voice. Be calm
and supportive. A person with dementia is still aware of
emotions and may become upset upon sensin