Alzheimer's - Communication Techniques in Late Stage Alzheimer's.

In the late stage of Alzheimer's people find it increasingly difficult to communicate their needs and their distress in a verbal way. Caregivers have to find new ways, and at a more basic level, to find activities that relax the person, decrease their anxiety and maintain their wellbeing. There is evidence that even people with very advanced dementia can benefit through exploring mediums of interaction other than verbal communication. If verbal communication is extremely limited you can still get a level of connection with a loved one. Communication, using the five senses of touch, sight, hearing, smelling, and taste is the key. Two researchers, Arnold and Amy Mindell, have developed an approach for communicating with people in a coma. One of the things they did was to rhythmically match the patients' breathing, touch and voice. This has been applied to people with dementia such as Alzheimer's, by Tom Richards and Stan Tomandl, two practitioners who trained with the Mindells. They have written a book called, ‘An Alzheimer's Surprise Party' about their communications with Tomandl's father who had Alzheimer's disease. They found he was able to respond to communications by hand squeezing, eye contact, by joining in singing and through expressive gestures.