The Keepsake Chronicles: stories in times of dementia
ArtVibe1/Shutterstock
When someone speaks in a language we do not understand, we do not assume their words are meaningless. We assume we are the ones who cannot yet understand them.
You might try gestures, sign language or the few words you recognise to grasp what they are saying. The assumption is always the same: meaning is there. The challenge is translation.
Listening to people living with dementia can sometimes feel similar.
Communication may become slower, fragmented or difficult to follow.