ENHANCING COMMUNICATION IN DEMENTIA OF THE ALZHEIMERS TYPE

Dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT) is devastating to the quality o f life of individuals with DAT and to the lives of their caregivers. P rogressive declines in language and communication isolate individuals with DAT and contribute to caregiver stress and burden. This article d escribes current communication education and training programs for car egivers of individuals with DAT. A case study involving a spousal care giver of an individual with DAT is presented to illustrate the compone nts of a comprehensive, individualized caregiver communication enhance ment education and training program. implications for future program d evelopment are discussed.