1. Alzheimer’s Disease: Skill Building
Module 15
Alzheimer’s Disease: Skill Building
Geriatric Aide Curriculum
NC Division of Health Service Regulation
For use in conjunction with: The Eastern North Carolina Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. (2003). Module 2 of Accepting the Challenge: Providing the best care for people with dementia, [Videotape].

2. Skill Building for Dementia Caregivers Objectives
Explain flight, fight or fright reactions.
Demonstrate the positive physical approach when working with a person with dementia.
Discuss the three ways to communicate: how you speak, what you say, and how you respond.

3. Flight, Fight, Or Fright
Flight: person’s first reaction is to run away or get away from the threat
Fight: person’s first reaction is to become angry, demonstrate argumentative behavior or even try to hit someone
Fright: person’s first reaction is to freeze and not move

4. Positive Physical Approach To People With Dementia
Come from the front
Go slowly
Get to the side
Get low or sit down
Offer a hand
Use the person’s preferred name
Wait for a response

5. Communicating By Talking
Always use positive physical approach
Pay attention to three ways to communicate:
How you speak
What you say
How you respond to the person

6. How You Speak To A Person With Dementia
Tone of voice
Friendly not bossy or critical
Pitch of voice
Deep is better
Speed of speech
Slow and easy, not pressured and fast

7. What You Say To A Person With Dementia
Three basic reasons to talk with someone:
Get the person to do something
Have a friendly interaction
Deal with person’s distress or frustration/anger

8. What You Say To A Person With Dementia
To get the person to do something:
Give short, direct message
Give simple choices
Ask the person to help you
Ask if the person will try the task
Break down the task into steps

9. What You Say To A Person With Dementia
To have a friendly conversation:
Go slow-go with the flow
Acknowledge emotions
Use words that are familiar to person
Know the person as a person

10. What You Say To A Person With Dementia
To have a friendly conversation (continued):
Use familiar objects
Be prepared to repeat conversation
Look interested and friendly
Be prepared for emotional outbursts
Don’t argue but keep person safe

11. What You Say To A Person With Dementia
To deal with the person’s distress or frustration/anger:
Try to figure out what person wants or needs
Use empathy, not forced reality or lying

12. What You Say To A Person With Dementia
To deal with the person’s distress or frustration/anger (continued):
Once person is responding to you, redirect person’s attention to something that is okay
Distract with other things or activities person likes and values

13. How To Respond To A Person With Dementia
Use positive, friendly approval or praise (short, specific and sincere)
Offer thanks and appreciation for person’s effort
Laugh with person and appreciate attempts at humor and friendliness

14. How To Respond To A Person With Dementia (continued)
Shake hands to start and end an interaction
Use touch only if the person wants it

15. If Your Approach Is Not Working
If what you are doing is not working:
STOP!
BACK OFF – give the person some space and time
Decide on what to do differently
Try again!

16. The End