Questions you can ask those with Alzheimer's or another dementia

Activities directors and other healthcare professionals here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care professionals to get an easyceu or two

From Alzheimer's Weekly
a forum member wrote:
I have three kinds of questions I ask my mom almost daily.

1 - Choices

Because she is very much living in the moment, I put out immediate choices for her to chew on, exercise her mind, and work her decision-making processes. Simple things like, "Would you like to go to the mall later today, or visit the grandkids?" "Would you like soup for dinner, or just a sandwich?" Members of the family take her shopping, where she is with people - even if they are just trying to sell her things - stimulated, walking around, having to pick out what she likes and what she does not.

2 - Fill-Ins

I ask her about her day, especially any meaningful events such as going out to eat or having a visitor. When asking her about her day, I fill in a lot of information for her until she kicks into the conversation herself. I keep my voice pleasant and informative, never showing in any way that I am mentioning things she should remember. A study was done where a camera was hooked up to a necklace on people with memory problems. It took pictures all day long at intervals. At the end of the day, the person remembered little about the day. However, they were then shown the pictures, they not only remebered what was in the pictures, they were able to fill in a lot of what was in-between them. Not only that, but after discussing the memory, they actually kept it for a long time afterwards.

3 - Long-Ago's

Mom remembers most of her past years pretty clearly. The younger she was, the clearer she talks about it. When I get her started and keep her engaged, I learn some amazing things, besides bring a light back into her eyes.