Great Minds, Thinking Alike

A study in Kansas bears out what we have found to be true here at the Fremont Street Center for Healthy Aging.

" They discovered that when nursing aides communicated in a kind of baby talk for seniors - using a high pitched sing song tone, comments like "good girl", diminutives like "honey" and language that assumed a state of dependence "are we ready for our bath?') - Alzheimer's patients were twice as likely to resist their efforts to help.

Patients would turn  or look away, grimace, clench their teeth, groan, grab onto something, cry or say "no" - behaviors that can be read as indications of distress at being patronized or infantilized, said lead researcher Kristine Wiliams, an associate professor at the University of Kansas School of Nursing.

"Communication can really impact care." she said."

The patients actions described above  - turning away, grimacing, groaning, saying "no" - is normal behavior about non-Alzheimers patients ( most of the world) when confronted with rude or unwanted behavior on the part of others. In other words, this is normal behavior, not caused by Alzheimers, but caused by inattentive care.