💜 Communication is Connection: Supporting Loved Ones with Alzheimer’s

November is recognized as National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month — a time to honor and support those living with Alzheimer’s and the families who care for them. At Marigold Speech & Co, we believe that communication is connection — and that connection remains possible, even as memory and language change.

Alzheimer’s can make it harder for individuals to express thoughts or follow conversations, but that doesn’t mean connection has to fade. With the right strategies and professional guidance from a speech-language pathologist (SLP), families can maintain meaningful communication and improve quality of life.

🧠 How Alzheimer’s Affects Communication

Alzheimer’s disease impacts language, comprehension, and social interaction, often leading to frustration for both the individual and their loved ones (Klímová & Nováková, 2016). These challenges, however, can be supported through therapy focused on communication and connection.

At Marigold Speech & Co, our Janesville-based team provides evidence-based speech therapy for Alzheimer’s and dementia, helping clients retain skills and families stay connected. SLPs play an essential role in preserving dignity, providing strategies, and fostering understanding through personalized care plans (Egan et al., 2019).

💬 How Speech Therapy Can Help

Speech therapy for individuals with Alzheimer’s isn’t about reversing memory loss — it’s about enhancing communication and connection at every stage.

Our approach at Marigold Speech & Co includes:

• Preserving meaningful communication with familiar words and gestures

• Creating personalized memory supports, such as cue cards or communication notebooks

• Encouraging participation in conversations and daily routines

• Coaching caregivers with strategies to promote calm and engagement

Research supports these approaches: communication interventions have been shown to improve well-being and engagement for people with moderate-to-severe dementia (Sweeney et al., 2017).

🤝 Practical Tips for Families and Caregivers

You don’t have to be a professional to make a difference. Try these simple strategies at home:

• 💛 Maintain eye contact and use a calm tone

• 🗣️ Speak slowly and keep sentences short

• ⏳ Give plenty of time for your loved one to respond

• 📸 Use photos, gestures, or objects to help understanding

• 🌼 Focus on connection, not correction

Each positive interaction helps strengthen confidence and preserve dignity. As Mundadan et al. (2023) note, person-centered communication supports emotional well-being and belonging for individuals with dementia.

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Why Early Support Matters

Early intervention makes a difference. Working with a speech-language pathologist early in the Alzheimer’s journey can help maintain communication skills, reduce caregiver stress, and enhance daily life (Dillahunt-Aidzoe et al., 2023).

At Marigold Speech & Co, we’re proud to serve families in Janesville, WI and Rock County with compassionate, research-backed care that strengthens relationships through communication.

💬 Communication is more than words — it’s connection.

📞 Call today to schedule an appointment with Jamie! 608-728-7774

🌐 Marigold Speech & Co | Speech Therapy & Communication Support | Janesville, WI

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References (APA Format)

Dillahunt-Aidzoe, K., et al. (2023). Do communication interventions affect the quality-of-life outcomes of people with dementia and their families? Aging & Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2023.2202635

Egan, M., et al. (2019). Caregiving for persons with dementia: Evidence-based resources for speech-language pathologists. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 4(1), 3–12. https://doi.org/10.1044/persp4.SIG2.3

Klímová, B., & Nováková, T. (2016). Alzheimer’s disease and language impairments: Social intervention in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Psychiatrie, 20(3), 129–137. https://doi.org/10.15384/psyc/2016.20.25

Mundadan, R. G., Savundranayagam, M. Y., Orange, J. B., & Murray, L. (2023). Language-based strategies that support person-centered communication in formal home care interactions with persons living with dementia. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 42(7), 1481–1493. https://doi.org/10.1177/07334648231169009

Sweeney, K., et al. (2017). Speech-language pathology interventions for communication in people with moderate-severe dementia: A systematic review. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 26(3), 1072–1089. https://doi.org/10.1044/2017_AJSLP-17-0031