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Dementia and Conversation Looping: How to Break the Cycle

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A young man smiles as he implements techniques to effectively respond to his father, who is experiencing dementia and conversation looping.

Dementia and conversation looping often go hand in hand, which can lead to frustration without knowing how to effectively respond.

If you have ever played music on vinyl records, you know that the needle does not always track properly. Occasionally, a small piece of debris or dust may cause it to get stuck or skip, leaving you hearing only a few words of the song over and over again until the problem is addressed.

In Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, memory blips can result in a similar effect described as conversation looping. Typically occurring in mild and moderate stages of the disease, dementia and conversation looping may look like this:

  • You’re having an engaging conversation about your favorite football team’s latest victory.
  • The individual with dementia suddenly changes gears and asks you if you’ve finished your homework.
  • Knowing it is important to step into an alternate reality or timeframe with the person, you respond that all of your homework is finished.
  • You then resume the conversation about the unbelievable touchdown that clinched the win.
  • The other person asks again if you have finished your homework.

What Is the Appropriate Way to Handle Issues With Dementia and Conversation Looping?

It is beneficial to first understand why the behavior is occurring. We all experience repetition to varying degrees. We may forget that we have told someone a particular memory or story and tell them again. We also may repeat a question we have in mind, unsure whether we actually asked the question or simply just thought about it. These types of situations occur when we are not fully focused or paying close enough attention to the environment around us.

In contrast, conversation loops in dementia can happen as frequently as every couple of minutes. Professor of Psychology at Western Washington University Ira E. Hyman, Jr., Ph.D., explains that with cognitive impairment, “…the work of binding the elements of an experience into a personal memory is disrupted.”

It is important to recognize that correcting someone with Alzheimer’s is not a successful tactic. Understanding that, it’s advisable to continue to respond to the person’s repetitive question or story, keeping your reply brief. You can then try changing the topic to something you know is of particular interest to them now or was important to them during their younger years, as long-term memories stay intact considerably longer than more recent ones.

How a Specialized Alzheimer’s Caregiver Can Help

With many challenging behaviors and symptoms to manage, caring for a person with Alzheimer’s on your own can be daunting. Our caregivers are especially trained in effective approaches to managing the challenges experienced in dementia. Let us partner with you to ensure the highest quality care for someone you love.

Whether you are struggling with wandering, sundowning, hallucinations, aggression, or any other complications a family member is experiencing from Alzheimer’s, we can help. Contact us any time at (954) 486-6440 to learn more about our expert dementia care, available throughout Fort Lauderdale, Deerfield Beach, Plantation, and the surrounding areas.

What to Expect in Dementia: The Impact on All 5 Senses

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A woman sits with an older man at a dining table outdoors, trying to figure out what to expect in dementia.

Knowing what to expect in dementia and the changes to each of the five senses will help you make life the best it can be for someone you love.

When we think about what to expect in dementia, the first thing that typically springs to mind is the loss of memory. Cognitive decline is a hallmark effect of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, but there are so many other areas of life that are impacted as well. As a matter of fact, each of the five senses can be altered in many ways that are important to understand.

What Sensory Changes Are Typical in Dementia?

Following are some of the changes you might notice in a loved one with dementia:

  • Taste and Smell: These senses are often the first to change. The decline in the ability to taste and smell could lead the person to eat food that has spoiled, drink a cleaning fluid or some other toxic substance, and remain unaware if something is burning on the stove or in the home. Lock cleaning supplies as well as other hazardous materials safely away, check the individual’s food supply routinely to ensure food is fresh, and make sure smoke detectors are operational throughout the home.
  • Hearing: Although the person might be able to hear just fine, auditory processing changes may make it hard to understand what’s being said. It also may cause anxiety when there are loud background noises and distractions in the environment. Speak slowly and clearly, using short, one-thought statements, and use pictures along with other visuals as needed for more effective communication.
  • Vision: The brain’s ability to interpret what the individual is seeing can cause confusion. It may also lead to an elevated likelihood of falling, as patterns on the floor, shadows, and lighting could be recognized incorrectly as three-dimensional objects. Depth perception is oftentimes also impacted. As much as possible, use contrasting colors to lessen these effects.
  • Touch: The individual may lose the ability to detect cold and hot, putting them at an increased risk for burns along with other injuries. Safety-proof the stove, decrease the hot water heater temperature, and ensure the individual is dressed appropriately for the air temperature, both in the home and outdoors.

An in-home caregiver is the perfect addition to the care plan of someone with dementia. Our trained and experienced professionals can reduce safety hazards while improving total wellbeing. We are able to help effectively manage and defuse the many intricate and challenging effects of dementia, including:

  • Wandering
  • Agitation
  • Aggression
  • Confusion
  • Hallucinations
  • Repetitive behaviors
  • Anxiety and fear
  • Restlessness
  • Sundowning
  • And far more

Contact us at 954-486-6440 for a no-cost in-home consultation for more information on our specialized dementia care in Pompano Beach, Coconut Creek, Coral Springs, and also the surrounding areas and how we are able to make life the very best it can be every day for someone you love.

Can You Handle Embarrassing Dementia Behaviors in Public?

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An older woman stands in the grocery store, leaning on her cart with a calm expression on her face.

If you’re not sure how to handle embarrassing dementia behaviors in public, these tips can help.

Dementia is unpredictable, to say the least. It can transform a person’s mood, personality, and behaviors in the blink of an eye. When you’re at home caring for a person with dementia, these changes can be hard enough to manage. But what happens when embarrassing dementia behaviors arise when you are at a grocery store, restaurant, or hair salon?

Simple Tips to Change Cringeworthy to Calm

Fear of a public outburst can make you want to eliminate venturing out at all with someone with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia. However, being out in the community is very important. It gives someone with dementia a feeling of purpose, eases loneliness and isolation, offers opportunities to socialize, and much more.

Understanding how to cope with an uncomfortable situation before going out is key. These recommendations can help.

  • Keep calm. Your demeanor and attitude are highly contagious to a loved one with dementia. Take a deep breath and give yourself a pep talk before stepping out the door. Remind yourself to remain calm and patient, regardless of what happens.
  • Carry cards. If you are worried about how embarrassing dementia behaviors may impact others around you, create some small business-sized cards that you can discreetly hand out. They can simply state, “Please forgive any impolite actions or outbursts. These are the result of dementia.”
  • Track triggers. Keep a journal to make note of details on difficult behaviors in public and then look for commonalities. You might find, for example, that the individual does well in a small store or restaurant, but becomes distraught when there are large crowds, too much noise, or bright lights. There might be a specific time of day that is more distressing to be out, or physical needs could be an issue, such as hunger, thirst, pain, fatigue, or the need to use the restroom.

How In-Home Care Can Help

Our dementia care experts are available to help manage the effects of the disease, with patience, skill, and creativity. As seasoned experts who are fully trained in a wide range of dementia care needs, we have seen it all! We understand just how to restore calm to somebody who is distressed or agitated, ensuring respect and dignity throughout an outburst.

A few of the many challenging symptoms of dementia we are able to help manage include:

  • Aggression
  • Sundowning
  • Hallucinations and delusions
  • Wandering
  • Anxiety
  • Confusion and disorientation
  • And more

Whether you are looking for just a couple hours of respite care to allow time for you to take a break, overnight support or live-in care to ensure safety and wellbeing while you get much-needed rest, or anything in between, we’re here for you.

Give us a call at 954-486-6440 for more tips and resources, and to learn more about our specialized in-home dementia care in Tamarac, Parkland, Fort Lauderdale, and the surrounding areas.