Non-Verbal Alzheimers Patient, am I missing something?

Non-Verbal Alzheimers Patient, am I missing something?

: soph365 wrote in speechpathology; January 23rd, 19:30

I have an Alzheimer's patient that seems otherwise healthy (eating well, walking around, interest in environment) but is non-verbal, poor auditory comprehension (better with point/gestures etc.). 3 months ago she was talking with some paraphasias etc. and now it's mostly "uh huh" and a rare automatic-type phrase. The rapid rate of decline seems odd to me, and the fact that communication is so poor/non-existant. Does this seem like typical end-stage dementia or can an almost complete loss of language happen earlier and this quickly? I can't find anything else in her medical history to explain the sudden extreme aphasia. I'm basically stressing non-verbal communication in therapy- if you have any other tips, please share! Thanks for your help - I don't often see such severe cases of dementia.

( 2 comments — Leave a comment )

anjea

2013-01-24 01:04 am (UTC)

It's common. The decline in dementia can happen in a few ways. Think of drawn lines - sometimes the line is a shallow angle downward, sometimes it's a sharp angle downward, sometimes it looks like stair steps, or some combination therein. Hitting the nonverbal point is classic end-stage, but people can be mobile but nonverbal for a long time, too.

Incorporate as much visual input as you can in your therapy, repetition/routines, and things that are very salient to this person.

fulwood

2013-01-25 12:48 am (UTC)

Anjea is correct. I have degree in speech and another in Gerontology. I have worked in assisted living facilities and decline you see can be rather swift. There should be no surprise with what you are seeing. To clarify I am an SLPA. I worked in asstd living facility prior to get bachelors in speech.

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