Communicating by Touch with Dementia Patients

The video clip below describes how to touch a person with dementia without raising their anxiety or disrespecting their wishes (time: 1 minute).

For most people, touch is a normal mode of communication, and it’s frequently used to offer comfort to another individual. In most cases, the touch is welcome by those on the receiving end. A light touch on the arm, a gentle hug, a quick pat of the hand, all of these ways of touching another can be reassuring, making one feel loved and safe. However, for those who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, touch may not be a welcome or desired mode of communication. As a result, it is very important to know when it is okay, and when it is not okay, to communicate by touch with someone who is suffering from dementia.

When approaching someone with Alzheimer’s disease, one should extend his or her hand to the individual, waiting for a response from the patient. This will help one to gauge whether or not that individual is open to their touch. Unwelcome touching of an Alzheimer’s patient can create distress, anger and/or irritation, causing more harm than good. If the person with dementia refuses one’s outstretched hand or appears to take the hand momentarily, only to brush it away, it is important not to touch this individual, as they are demonstrating they are not receptive to touch. In contrast, if the individual with dementia accepts one’s outstretched hand, it shows they are open to touch as a means to comfort, and one can use touch to communicate.

Some Alzheimer’s patients respond very well to touch, while others simply do not. So, it’s important to read their body language cues and respect their wishes.