It may be common in Singapore to start conversations with a question such as: “Have you eaten?” However, it might not be the most useful thing to ask a person with dementia if you want to have a meaningful conversation with him. This is because it requires him to recall something that has happened and rely on his short term memory. Rather, it may be more rewarding to talk about things that the person with dementia enjoys. Watch this animation by Ohio Council for Cognitive Health on tips for having a conversation when a person has dementia. They include:

1. Find a quiet space where you can talk one-on-one or in a small group
2. Approach the person slowly and from the front
3. Carry yourself in a calm and positive manner
4. Make eye contact and greet the person
5. Speak with simple, clear, brief and direct words
6. Start the conversation by commenting on something in the room that the person enjoys or likes to talk about
7. Ask a question that is interesting to the person, but does not need recall to answer
8. Use pictures, writing and gestures to convey meaning
9. Allow the person to think of words, rather than jumping in to suggest words for him
10. Give choices. For example, ask: “Would you like to wear this or that?”

Source: Ohio Council for Cognitive Health YouTube channel https://youtu.be/igXil-lVfgo