Have you ever been out in public with your loved one and they make a rude comment about someone they see? Or worse, make a racial slur? And you think of that commercial "Want to get away?" Well you are certainly not alone.
Because dementia causes the brain to loose inhibitions, the person no longer has a filter and he/she blurts out whatever comes to mind.
First of all, don't react--just respond calmly. Scolding or arguing will just make matters worse.
The best response would be to acknowledge his/her statement and change the subject. If their statement is not acknowledged they will just continue with it. This is simply redirection and in no way implies you condone the remarks. Make sure the person the comment was made to understands that your loved one has dementia. You can try to get your loved one to talk about a good experience he/she had with a person from the same place; such as, "Dad, Charlie is from Jamacia just like this lady is. Maybe she knows him. He was such a good friend to you." Redirect and form a bond. Opening up conversation will
help defuse the situation.
Comments