When a Loved One with Dementia No Longer Recognizes You

Apart from having to watch a loved one go through the devastating stages of Alzheimer’s or another dementia disease, the next saddest thing may be when the person stops recognizing you. This can bring up all sorts of feelings, of which some while not fair, are there nonetheless. When we take time to go visit a family member with dementia in a memory care community and they don’t even know who we are, some people wonder why they are making the effort.

However, a long-term caregiver reminds us how can we be certain the person is not reacting to our presence in some way? Maybe the sound of our voice, or the touch of our hand? In the same way people in comas have said they heard the voices of loved ones even when they were unable to communicate, perhaps a person in the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease knows we are there for them on some level. At the very least, in whatever way they can understand, we want them to know they are loved and valued.

Experts suggest a way to help make yourself more recognizable to your parent or spouse. If you are an adult child, try putting together a photo timeline of you as a small child, an adolescent, a young adult to a current picture. Spouses can do the same starting with a picture from their early days as a couple to the present.

For anyone having difficulty being around a loved one with Alzheimer’s, it may be helpful to learn all you can about the disease so you understand what is going on. It will also teach you better ways to more effectively communicate with the person.

At MorningStar at Bear Creek, we are dementia care specialists who provide both compassionate and professional care to those suffering from Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases. Our approach is holistic and encompasses every aspect of the disease as well as individualized care. Visit our website to learn more.

MorningStar at Bear Creek brings a unique vision to senior living with our mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest.” With a foundation built on honoring God, valuing seniors and investing in a staff with a felt calling to serve, we offer loving dementia care within a beautiful home-like setting. Visit our website for more information about our exceptional community.