FOCUSED Communication Strategies for persons with Dementia
F = Face
- Face the person with Dementia directly
- Call his or her name
- Touch the person
- Gain and maintain eye contact
O = Orient
- Orient the person with Dementia to the topic by repeating key words several times
- Repeat and rephrase sentences
- Use nouns and specific names
C = Continue
- Continue the same topic of conversation for as long as possible
- Restate the topic throughout the conversation
- Indicate to the person with Dementia that you are introducing a new topic
U = Unstuck
- Help the person with Dementia become “unstuck” when he or she uses a word incorrectly by suggesting the intended word
- Repeat the sentence the person said using the correct word
- Ask, “do you mean….?”
S = Structured
- Structure your questions so that the person with Dementia will be able to recognize and repeat a response
- Provide two simple choices at a time
- Use yes/no questions
E = Exchange
- Keep up the normal exchange of ideas we use in everyday conversation
- Keep conversations going with comments such as, “oh, how nice,” or “that’s great”
- Do not ask “test” questions
- Give the person with Dementia clues as to how to answer your questions
D = Direct
- Keep sentences short, simple, and direct
- Put the subject of the sentences first
- Use and repeat nouns (names of persons or things) rather than pronouns (he, she, it their, etc)
- Use hand signal, pictures, and facial expressions.
Ref: Ripich and Ziol (1998)
