Does anyone have tips for communicating with someone with dementia?

That is great that he remembered what you'd said about when the clock would change. It's true—you don't know what's going on in there and what will stick and what won't. I'm getting pretty good at not correcting my husband when he doesn't remember or understand something trivial, but when it's something important, I still do. I can't help but think it's not doing him any favors to reinforce something that's not so, especially when he's having trouble hanging on to what's real anyway.

I mean, if a person makes a mistake remembering something or doesn't understand something that's relatively important and no one speaks up to tell that person otherwise, how is he to know what's real (even if only for a short time) and what isn't? Seems like that would make him lose his connection to reality even faster. And as long as it doesn't upset him (which, so far, it doesn't seem to), what is the harm?

I expect that there will come a time when it will be better for me not to speak up, but I don't think we're there yet.

My husband who has MCI has become fixated on our finances. He is sure we will run out of money before we die. I have gone over our expenses and assets with my 2 daughters. There is no way what he is thinking is true.

We plan to go to a fiduciary financial planner to assess our finances.

I understand this is not uncommon for MCI men. How have you managed this thinking?

@defleurs My husband has been fixated on our $$. He asks every day how much we have. We love our financial advisor and he is very patient and kind with my husband. We had an upcoming appt with him so I called him and told him he could talk to me privately about our account. But during our appt I asked him to make it clear to my husband that we have plenty of money to last. My husband was so pleased when we left and hasn't asked since.

@timber2026 That’s great news! I hope it resolves it, but I’d be prepared to deal with him revisiting the issue as if the conversation never happened. Sometimes, it’s like Groundhog Day the movie.

My cousin got scared in her car one day when she couldn’t get out. Neighbors helped her. She handed me the keys and said it’s broke. Get rid of it. She never wanted to drive again. But, my dad was different. He would say he wouldn’t drive, but then he’d want to get the keys….forgetting what he had said. He’d also read bank statements and think there was a mistake. He’d want to go in and meet with bank representative most weeks. He’d forget he had already done that. We kept saying we’d go the next week.

So people handle it differently. Rarely, is it resolved and done, though I certainly hope that for you.

With my cousin, I just learned to say yes. Learned not to try to correct or challenge, the answer yes, calmed her down, and she would forget it anyway. Sometimes it's hard to just say yes, but it works.

Yes my wife has been in memory care since June 15th. Was diagnosed about 5 years ago. All she talks about when I visit is what i drove to the care center so we can take her belongings that she constantly has packed and ready to take home. I have trouble visiting because you can not explain anything to her and that it necessary for her to be there. She constantly talks about wanting something or wanting to do something but very little of what she says makes sense. She can't come up with the correct words to explain what she really wants. It's so difficult to visit her because she talks about it going home and what time we are putting items in the car. I have to sneak out when I leave because it takes one aid to distract her and another to open the lock down door so I can leave without saying goodbye or hugging her before I leave. This is more difficult for me I think than it is for her. I cry a lot while visiting but she doesn't recognize that I am doing that. She is 67 and iam 76. She is healthy otherwise. No one can say how long that she could continue whih this terrible Frontal Temporal Dimentia.

Yes my wife has been in memory care since June 15th. Was diagnosed about 5 years ago. All she talks about when I visit is what i drove to the care center so we can take her belongings that she constantly has packed and ready to take home. I have trouble visiting because you can not explain anything to her and that it necessary for her to be there. She constantly talks about wanting something or wanting to do something but very little of what she says makes sense. She can't come up with the correct words to explain what she really wants. It's so difficult to visit her because she talks about it going home and what time we are putting items in the car. I have to sneak out when I leave because it takes one aid to distract her and another to open the lock down door so I can leave without saying goodbye or hugging her before I leave. This is more difficult for me I think than it is for her. I cry a lot while visiting but she doesn't recognize that I am doing that. She is 67 and iam 76. She is healthy otherwise. No one can say how long that she could continue whih this terrible Frontal Temporal Dimentia.