Communication Strategies Flashcards

Which cultural competency principle is MOST important when developing a communication plan for a dementia patient from a non-English-speaking background?

Answer: Identify preferred language, communication style, and culturally significant topics or taboos

Identifying language preference, style, and cultural considerations ensures communication is meaningful and respectful of the person's background.

A team approach to dementia communication requires that staff members:

Answer: Share successful strategies through care conferences and written communication plans

Sharing successful strategies ensures continuity, reduces confusion for the person, and prevents behavioral escalation from inconsistent approaches.

When a person with Lewy body dementia has detailed visual hallucinations, the recommended communication response is to:

Answer: Acknowledge their experience calmly and assess for distress or safety concerns

Acknowledging the experience without reinforcing fear or arguing about reality maintains trust while ensuring the person is safe.

Which strategy best supports communication with a person who has hearing loss in addition to dementia?

Answer: Speak at a lower pitch with clear articulation while facing them directly in good light

Lower pitch, clear articulation, and face-to-face positioning optimize lip-reading and residual hearing while minimizing distortion.

The 'SBAR' communication tool (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) is used in dementia care primarily for:

Answer: Structured handoff reporting between healthcare team members about a patient's status

SBAR provides a structured format for clinicians to communicate concisely and accurately during handoffs and care transitions.

A dementia patient consistently becomes calm when a caregiver hums familiar hymns during care. This is an example of:

Answer: Using preserved long-term memory and emotional memory pathways to facilitate communication

Familiar music engages relatively preserved emotional and long-term memory, creating a calming communicative bridge even in advanced dementia.

Before initiating any communication interaction with a person who has dementia, the FIRST step a caregiver should take is:

Answer: Approach slowly, make eye contact, identify yourself, and call the person by their preferred name

Slow approach, eye contact, self-identification, and using the preferred name establish safety and orientation before any further communication.