The adult child of a patient diagnosed with Alzheimer disease has shared that he feels "so sad" that he is not able to carry on a social conversation with the patient anymore because of her loss of memory. The nurse suggests
a. keeping conversations short while focus-ing on things that happened in the past.
b. concentrating on doing things his mother enjoys rather than focusing on talking.
c. participating in support groups that offer suggestions for communication.
d. allowing his mother to pick the topic and then simply being with her "in her world."
D
Family members must have a realistic understanding of the cognitive limitations of their loved ones and learn to communicate within those limits in order to remain emotionally connected with their family member. The patient may be better able to relate to past memories for a time. Con-centrating on activities does not help communication. Support groups may be able to give sug-gestions but not all patients react the same way.
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