Chapter 53 - Person-centered communication among formal caregivers of persons with dementia

Abstract

Persons with dementia experience profound changes in their ability to communicate. The trajectory associated with the condition results in a wide variety of communicative impairments. Communication difficulties hinder the opportunity for social interaction and impede individuals with dementia from expressing needs in a clear and effective manner, consequentially complicating the caregiving experience. However, persons with dementia are capable of communicating when caregivers account for their unique needs. Thus, this chapter examines the use of person-centered communication among formal caregivers of persons with dementia, particularly within the long-term care context. It begins with an overview of dementia, with emphasis on the consequences of communication impairment for individuals with dementia. The chapter then shifts to the concept of personhood, and the ways in which person-centered care can preserve the personhood of persons with dementia. Next, person-centered communication in dementia care is highlighted, with emphasis from theoretical contributions and an overview of methods to measure person-centered communication. We end with a discussion of the effects of person-centered communication on persons with dementia and their formal caregivers.