Communication Techniques Make Family Visits More MeaningfulAlzheimer's Association Alzheimer Residents' Personalities Can Shine Through Visiting a loved one with Alzheimer's disease in a nursing home or assisted living facility can sometimes be upsetting and depressing for both parties, causing the visits to become even less frequent. According to presenters at World Alzheimer Congress 2000, it does not need to be that way. "People with Alzheimer's disease retain many of the elements of their personalities," said Carly Hellen, OTR/L, director of Alzheimer's Education at The Wealshire, in Lincolnshire, Illinois (U.S.A.). "Families and friends just need to learn know how to help the person with Alzheimer's disease tap into their remaining sense of self and well-being."  Hellen and Hazel Childs, ASW, both of The Wealshire, and Northwestern University's Bradley Fulton, MA, research assistant, and Perry Edelman, PhD, lead researcher and assistant professor from the Institute for Health and Services Research and Policy Studies, created a program to enhance the care of people with Alzheimer's disease. They shared their experiences and information with attendees of World Alzheimer Congress 2000. The goal of their program is to train family members to better understand Alzheimer residents' verbal and nonverbal communications, enhance interactions based on this understanding, and ultimately make visits more meaningful. "By teaching family members how to look and listen and interact effectively with people with Alzheimer's disease, interactions become much more positive experiences," said Childs, director of family services at The Wealshire. One example they cited was an ongoing dynamic between a mother with Alzheimer's disease and her adult daughter. Each time the daughter visited her mother in her residential care facility, the daughter would initiate the serving of coffee. The visits were uncomfortable and awkward. However, one day the daughter asked her mother to serve the coffee. By offering verbal clues and suggestions, the daughter was able to coach her mom through the steps of finding the cups, locating the cream, pouring the coffee, etc. As the mother stepped into the familiar role of caring for her child and taking care of this basic need, she felt more at ease, as though she were a hostess in her own home doing a familiar task. "From then on, the mother served the coffee and the visits were much more pleasant and meaningful," said Hellen. This role switch may sound like a simple thing, but it takes trial and error and patience to determine how to facilitate the strengths and abilities for each individual with Alzheimer's disease. "Sensitive, ongoing communication is important, no matter how difficult it may become or how confused the person may appear," said Sam Fazio, director of education and training. "Although he may not always respond, he still needs and benefits from continued communication." How the program works The program asks family members to look carefully at the methods they use to communicate. It also helps them adjust their expectations for interactions. In addition, it helps them understand nonverbal forms of communication, which include hand gestures, posture and eye contact. The training consists of several components, including: - "Alzheimer's 101"
For more information, or to contact Alzheimer's Association, see their website at: www.alz.org |
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