How to guide people to talk to someone with Alzheimer's? Any tips?

No big conversations to follow, if there is a big table of table talk sit next to her and talk to her. She will get lost and withdraw over group discussions.
All of them should understand that she may have forgotten them (don't worry about their hurt feelings). She will not start conversations but if they introduce themselves she can hear the voices.
Hi, I'm joe. I married your daughter.
Deeper memories remembered, Rinse and repeat.
Peace and love to you and yours.

Here is a simple list I got from a website. It is a good basis for those not up to speed on Dementia/AD.

Ten tips for communicating with a person with Alzheimer’s:

Approach calmly and with respect.
Get their attention first: Make eye contact and say their name. Try to stay in their vision of focus.
Speak clearly and simply: Use short sentences and familiar words, but don't talk to them like they are a child.
Ask one question at a time: Keep questions simple and offer choices when possible.
Be patient and give time to respond: Processing takes longer. Gently repeat or rephrase.
Avoid correcting or arguing: do not challenge them; instead validate and redirect.
Use non-verbal cues: gestures, facial expressions and touch can help convey meaning when words fail.
Keep eye contact and stay at their level: sit beside them or at eye level.
Reassure and encourage, offering praise and reassurance can ease anxiety.
Adapt to their changing abilities: what works now may not work in the future.

I hope this helps.

Good suggestions!
I would just add to speak slowly too. And sometimes having visuals (pictures, clipart, etc.) can help with their focus and also with choice making.
Avoid asking "open ended questions".
When my Father was slowly deteriorating with Vascular Dementia, music was often an enjoyable activity for him. He loved to sing along to old favorites from musicals and his childhood. We'd take turns - I'd sing one line, and he'd respond with the next, etc.

Hi @gepetto.
One of the best things I got early in this process was a one-pager from the Alzheimer's Association with communication rules. This site will not let me post the URL for something like that but you can google Alzheimer's Association Compassionate Communication San Diego. They have a good one.

Many people who are trying to be nice think that the polite and caring thing to do is to ask the person questions. That creates stress, of course. So, I tell people to talk at my husband , i.e., tell stories, describe recent activities, talk about shared experiences (without ever asking if he remembers those things).

I also ask them to please look at him as well as at others in the group, so he has signals that he is being included.

Shaking hands or just a pat on the arm or on the shoulder can also create a warm feeling of connection.

Important: Remind them that the level of verbal skills does not reflect what she can understand.

Encourage your relatives to really let her know that they are glad to see her, have missed her, appreciate her. The more specific they can be about things that they have appreciated about her the better. Hearing those things will evoke emotions that can be more enduring than conversations alone.

It is wonderful that the family will be together. Have someone take photos! Those may be helpful as the memory of the event fades in her mind.

@japlok All GREAT advice!! It was like i was reading something I wrote...because these are all the things I did for my hubby. Yes and no questions, choices, and non=verbal cues were a very common way to communicate with him. And eye contact was very important because he didn't always know I was talking to him. AND speaking slowly so he could process what I was saying.
He has severe aphasia so that made it difficult for both of us because he couldn't always express what he needed or wanted and i had a hard time understanding what he wanted but we managed. Im speaking in both past and present tense because this journey now has him in hospice care. There's not much communication with him anymore, We're just making sure he stays comfortable and rests comfortable for the remainder of his beautiful life. He no longer remembers my name and barely recognizes my face...but he DOES remember my touch 🙂 So yes, touch is a vital part of all of this because i truly believer that there are things he will always remember.
Love and Peace

@memoriestomoments Thank you, your description looks like just what I am looking for. Can you provide any further search criteria? I found the site but my searches based on what you provided and what I came up with did not hit on it.

Hi @geppetto,
Sorry for the delay. I am not getting notifications of responses to my posts.
I looked it up again and used the title of the document that I found the first time. That Title is: "Compassionate communication with the individual living with dementia". When I Google that I get a couple of top items. One is from "sdalzheimersproject.org" and another is from Alzheimer's San Diego. Both are good, brief guides.
If you have trouble finding them, I think you have the capability to direct message me and perhaps I can send them to you from an account outside of the site. All the best.

There are some great practical tips and advice here. A big thank you to all who have contributed on this sensitive subject.

I would also suggest that people be advised to ask if they may give a ‘hug’ or any other show of affection. Since it is a reunion, many people often greet one another physically, especially women, and it may be a bit startling or stressful when someone doesn’t recognize the person. Also, if there is a lot of noise and it seems too much (you may notice this already) you might want to practice wearing earplugs or headphones to dampen the noise. I hope you both have a wonderful time!

My husband can still communicate somewhat. He no longer can read very well or write but I read to him and then we stop and see what was most interesting.
I also was in a support group where we learned improv - when they are talking within their own reality you go with it and essentially improvise- if they start talking about what’s in the table, go with it and keep in mind the phrases “ yes and”.
We may be talking about the grandkids and my husband will follow then veer off to what’s in a placemat and we carry on from there.
For feelings I have a box of feeling flash cards that have illustrations of feelings and the words- we can go through these and he will pick the ones that fit for him. Then we stop and I let him talk.
Can’t hold a conversation with other stimulus like TVs in the bsckground.
But music is magic. He loves it and can still dance.
Given all this I so miss our deeper conversations -
As a psychic, who cared for his wife for years, said to me “ eventually you connect through spirit and just love.