Using Communication Accommodation Theory to Improve Communication Between Healthcare Providers and Persons With Dementia

The ability of healthcare workers to communicate effectively with dementia patients is critical in the healthcare context. This is because persons with dementia have difficulty expressing their views due to cognitive and language impairments. Therefore, it becomes essential that healthcare workers obtain the necessary training to handle the needs and concerns of persons with dementia. Furthermore, when the severity of the illness worsens, people with dementia may find it difficult to communicate verbally, so they rely heavily on nonverbal communication. Nonverbal communication is very useful for indicating pain and suffering. Identifying these nonverbal indicators by health experts allows them to begin treatment sooner, ultimately increasing the quality of life. Studies have found simulations to be an effective way of educating health professionals in the development/improvement of communication skills; however, they lack the capacity to identify and act on specific nonverbal signs. This editorial suggests that using communication accommodation theory (CAT) could be an effective tool for teaching communication skills to health professionals. CAT can give a framework for an improved understanding of nonverbal indications in dementia patients and strategies for healthcare practitioners to alter and use that information in patient care.