Effective communication is essential to healthy, long-term relationships. When we aren’t able to express our thoughts and share our concerns with those we love, we often feel disconnected from the affection and support we receive through conversation. For those caring for a spouse or partner with dementia, struggling to communicate well has the potential to eat away at the relationship and make caregiving more difficult.
Rob Low, Community Relations Director at Clarity Pointe™ Pensacola, a memory care assisted living community in Pensacola, Florida, says, “As dementia progresses, it can affect a person’s ability to think clearly, find the right words and follow along in a conversation. For many affected by the disease, they begin to communicate in more nonverbal ways, such as through their behavior or attitude. They may withdraw from conversations due to frustration