Patient Resources

15 Tips/Hints for the contact with dementia patients

1. Give clear instructions in short and plain sentences
2. Aim a thoughtful, but at the same time definite conversation/tone
3. Repeat important information - if necessary several times
4. Support the memory by saying time, date, place and name
5. Be patient with the patient and give him/her time (minutes, not seconds) to react
6. Be sympathetic – also/although it is sometimes hard
7. Avoid senseless discussions. Instead of insist on your opinion, deflect the patient or ask the carer for help
8. Ignore remarks and charges
9. Make sure that the patient has routine and constancy in his/her daily life
10. Basic rules and strict habits are helpful for all old people – especially for demented
11. It is not possible to use the same performance benchmark for healthy people and demented
12. Praise is better than criticism. You can also show it by smiling and touching
13. The demented person needs brain animation, but don’t overtax him/her. He/She needs in particular conversational partners
14. Concomitant diseases must be recognized and treated – another task for the carer
15. Really important is for elderly people: enough food and enough to drink as well as movement/exercise