Investigating Nonverbal Strategies to Support Communication with Persons Living with Dementia

Many persons living with dementia experience difficulties comprehending language and benefit from nonverbal communication (NVC). This research aimed to identify potential strategies for nonverbal behaviour adaptation to enhance communication with persons living with dementia, based on the Communication Enhancement Model. Studies included a scoping review of NVC strategies for caregivers with persons living with dementia and an analysis of whether NVC strategies used by personal support workers (PSW) co-occurred with verbal communication demonstrating person-centered indicators (recognition, negotiation, validation and facilitation). Video-recorded interactions (n=40) between PSW and simulated persons living with dementia were analysed using a codebook of NVC strategies (facial expression, gaze, gestures, touch) developed from review findings. Co-occurrence with person-centered verbal communication was examined. Of 1848 person-centered communication-units, 69% co-occurred. Gaze co-occurred with all person-centered indicators frequently (40-49%). Gestures using objects predominantly co-occurred with facilitation (17%) and negotiation (21%), suggesting distinct NVC strategies may align with selected person-centered indicators