- Be patient
- Speak normally.
- Don’t use baby talk. Speak respectfully.
- Put yourself at eye level with the person you are speaking to.
- Be flexible in your conversation and adjust to mood changes.
- Validate feelings, emotions or beliefs.
- Acknowledge the losses of control of routine, privacy, and identity that come with living in a personal care home.
- Identify some positive factors and discuss those as well.
- Touch the hand of the person you speak to.
- A kiss on the cheek.
- Follow through on promises.
- Develop a signal to say “good bye” or “I love you”.
- If possible, plan your next visit in accordance with your loved one’s preferences.
- He or she may feel more sociable at certain times of the day.
- To help bring back memories of shared experiences, use pictures, verbal descriptions and real objects.
