Meaningful Connections and Conversations
On Jan. 29, we’re hosting a dementia communication presentation. We’ll show care partners how to employ skills used by improvisational actors to improve conversations with people living with dementia. Dementia Program Director Maribeth Gallagher explains why ideas from improv are impactful.
Q: With improvisational acting, there is no script. How can dementia care partners learn from watching actors use improv techniques?
A: In improv, an actor offers an often-absurd scenario, and you’re expected to accept it and build from there. That core skill—accepting what someone says and meeting them where they are—is incredibly useful for a dementia care partner because we experience such situations and wonder how best to respond. The actors have chosen very common dementia scenarios to illustrate how caregivers can realistically adopt improv to avoid unpleasant situations and strengthen connections.
Q: Care partners will get a chance to practice some of these techniques. They always have a good time with this part of the workshop, but the practice is really helpful, right?
A: Yes! Care partners have to think on their feet all the time and respond to situations they maybe haven’t dealt with in the past. Improv is a new approach! So, for those willing to practice the techniques with the support of the workshop’s experts, it helps build the ability to respond on the fly more easily. It’s also heartening to be with other care partners learning, laughing and practicing together.
Q: Why shouldn’t you argue or correct someone living with dementia?
A: It can unintentionally trigger negative emotional, psychological and even physical reactions in the person living with dementia. A statement that is factually incorrect may feel very real to the person with brain changes that affect memory, reasoning and perception. Correcting or arguing may result in the person feeling embarrassed, offended or frustrated and can lead to anxiety, confusion, anger or refusal to communicate. The person doing the correcting may be perceived as an adversary, which is exactly opposite of what we hope to reinforce ourselves as safe, trusted, dependable, supportive partners.
Q: For a lot of dementia care partners, not correcting their loved one is easier said than done. Why do you think that it’s tough, even when intellectually we know it’s best?
A: We care about this person and have spent a lifetime communicating in familiar ways, so change isn’t easy, especially when it marks another loss. Being asked to shift from factual truth to emotional truth can feel unnatural at first. But remember that dementia changes how the brain understands reality. When you focus on emotional truth rather than factual accuracy, you’re meeting the person where they are, easing distress and preserving connection.
Q: What would you say to a care partner who feels guilty, like they are not being totally “straight” with their loved one?
A: Feeling guilty is common after a lifetime of honesty. Responding differently now can feel uncomfortable or even wrong. This isn’t deception—it’s compassion. You’re responding in ways that match the person’s abilities to make sense of the world so they feel safe and comfortable. This shift is an act of care, not a betrayal of your values, and the difficulty of it reflects the depth of your compassion.
To learn more or register, click here.