If you are a caregiver or a family member of a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), you may already know that sometimes communication with your loved one as well as with other family members can be a real challenge.
According to seasoned caregivers, improving overall communication skills within the family can really help when dealing with some of the milestones and challenges of having a loved one with AD-particularly when difficult decisions need to be made.
When friends and family members work well together, there’s a synergy in the way problems are tackled and they seem to get solved much quicker with less stress for those involved in decision making-according to one family caregiver.
So just what is required to enable families of those with AD to have great communication skills? Here are some tips from the experts in the field;
1. Have an open mind about involving all members of the family who want to participate in caregiving and having input into decision making.
2. Keep in mind that often times emotions will run high and there will be challenges for some individuals in that some personalities will clash. The more you are educated and prepared for issues to come up, the easier it is to navigate your way around them. Acceptance for what each and every person involved is feeling is key.
3. Utilize a team approach when addressing issues that need to be dealt with. Every family member has a purpose and the primary goal should be to support each other.
4. When discussions become heated, consider using a form of non-verbal communication, such as writing. Writing out your opinions and feelings can enable each person involved to carefully consider what is said and eliminate any type of blaming or negative input.
5. Learn about various communication skills such as active listening-see Part II of this article in the next post to find out more about acquiring new and more effective ways to communicate with family members.
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