Understand the role of communication and interactions with individuals who have dementia (DEM 308)

Outcome 1 Understand that individuals with dementia may communicate in different ways

1. explain how individuals with dementia may communicate through their behaviour

Dementia sufferers communicate in many different ways. They may not be able to speak but they can communicate non-verbally with positive or negative behaviour. They can also communicate using body language and through posture.
One service user who was blind was hard to settle, because he couldn’t see it was hard to communicate, he was unable to express himself verbally and he was very anxious and depressed. He had moved from Bala where he was brought up many years ago …show more content…

This unconventional behaviour is an attempt to communicate and express their needs. By stepping into their shoes and seeing things through their eyes you are able to better understand the meaning of their behaviour. Individuals with dementia do and say things for a reason and validating their words and actions is a way of encouraging them to keep communication open.

Outcome 3 Understand the factors which can affect interactions and communication of individuals with dementia

1. list the physical and mental health needs that may need to be considered when communicating with an individual with dementia

An early sign that someone's language is being affected by dementia is that they can't find the right words - particularly the names of objects. The person may substitute an incorrect word, or may not find any word at all. There may come a time when the person can hardly communicate through language at all. Not only will they be unable to find the words of objects: they may even forget the names of friends and family. People with dementia often confuse the generations - mistaking their wife for their mother, for example. This may be very distressing for their loved ones, but it's a natural aspect of their memory loss. The person with dementia may be trying to interpret a world that no longer makes sense to them because their brain is processing information incorrectly. Sometimes the