Making decisions

People with dementia may have difficulty making some decisions but will be able to make other decisions themselves. For example, a person might not be able to make decisions about their medical treatment but could make decisions about what they eat or which television programs to watch. Different people with dementia will be able to make different decisions. As the dementia progresses the decisions an individual will be able to make will change. Always remember, "dementia" is not a disease. It is a term to describe 100 different types of cognitive impairment. Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia.

How can you help someone with dementia make decisions? 

Remember the communication techniques. And, where possible, people must be supported to make their own decisions. The kinds of support people with dementia may need include:

·         making sure their hearing aid is working, or they have their glasses on

·         explaining things in a way that is easy to understand

·         using pictures, for example when choosing what meal to have

·         having someone who can speak the person's own language to explain the decision to them

·         choosing the best time of the day to talk about the decision.

Some decisions are very difficult and people may need time to make them. People might also change their mind several times. This doesn't mean they can't make the decision themselves. 

The Economic and Social Research Council did an experiment and concluded: Key preliminary findings include:

·         Patterns of decision-making are influenced by the person's abilities before dementia. I was a teacher, pre-diagnosis, and studied science, math and logic. I still can.

·         Gender has a crucial impact on decision-making. Men with dementia are more likely to continue to take the lead if they have always done so.

·         People with dementia still like to be involved in decision-making but may look to their spouses for help with this process.

·         However, complex decisions such as whether to attend a day care center can cause anxiety and these have to be negotiated and sensitively handled.

·         People with more advanced dementia can still communicate their likes or dislikes, through facial expressions and behavior.

Takeaway? Don't talk TO us, talk WITH us. We're still in here.