5 Tips for Talking with a Person with Alzheimer's

Yesterday afternoon, I walked into Mary's spacious room. Mary is a woman who has few visitors and whom I've volunteered to spend a little time with every week. I greeted her, complimented her on her beautiful turquoise sweater and shook her hand.

Then I sat down at her little table that was overflowing with books, photographs, the newspaper and other items she wants to keep close at hand. I started off by picking up a small framed photo of Mary with her husband and three children -- two sons and a daughter.

"Tell me about your daughter," I said, using an open-ended question because they have no right or wrong answers. That's a tip I picked up from The Best Friends Approach to Alzheimer's Care by Virginia Bell and David Troxell.

"Oh, her name is Connie," she told me. "She has four children -- two boys and two girls."
She continued by giving me several details about Connie and her family.


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