Friendship is a powerful gift that can make a world of difference for people living with dementia. Sadly, many friends drift away because they feel unsure about how to engage or relate to someone showing signs of cognitive change. 🌈 Building and maintaining friendships with a friend living with dementia requires patience, understanding, and kindness. Here are a few simple ways to nurture that connection:
Listen Actively: Show genuine interest in their thoughts and feelings, and encourage conversation even if things get repeated or don’t make complete sense. Your attention shows you care.
Be Present: Spend quality time together, whether it’s chatting over coffee or strolling in the park. If personal conversations feel challenging, try discussing things around you: “Look at those beautiful birds over there! Aren’t they sweet? It’s springtime, and there are baby birds everywhere.”
Share Memories: Talking about the past can spark joy and connection. You might like to look at photos together. Don’t worry if they recall someone in the image incorrectly; the brain can send mixed signals. The goal is to have a friendly conversation that brings back positive memories and sparks joy.
Adapt Activities: Find enjoyable activities that cater to their current abilities, whether it’s art, music, or simple games.
Stay Positive: Your encouragement and positive attitude can brighten their day! A genuine smile is worth a thousand words.
Try Not to Correct: Avoid correcting them if they struggle to remember names or events. Instead, acknowledge their responses with kindness and gently steer the conversation to a more comfortable topic. For example, if they mention a name they can’t recall, you might say, “That’s okay! I love hearing your stories. What do you think about that beautiful garden we passed earlier?”
If you have a friend living with dementia or are caring for a loved one with dementia, please make an effort to stay connected and support one another. It isn’t easy to navigate these changing situations, but your support and friendship will be an invaluable gift. 🎁
gift. 💖
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