Gentle humor can play a meaningful role in improving engagement for people living with dementia. When used thoughtfully, humor helps create a warm and positive atmosphere that encourages social interaction and emotional connection. It can reduce feelings of agitation and…
Can Regular Praise Improve Daily Participation When people show up to work or school each day, they bring different levels of energy and commitment. Some days feel energizing, while other days feel like going through the motions. One factor that…
Slow Speech and Better Understanding: What the Research Shows When someone speaks too quickly, listeners often struggle to keep up. Words blur together, meaning gets lost, and comprehension suffers. But what happens when people deliberately slow down their speech? The…
Eye contact plays a powerful role in strengthening emotional connections between people. When two individuals look into each other’s eyes, it activates specific brain pathways that enhance understanding and empathy. This mutual gaze helps people feel more connected and emotionally…
Soft voices can make a big difference when talking to someone with dementia. Many people with dementia find it hard to understand what others are saying, especially over the phone or in noisy places. When someone speaks in a gentle,…
Repetitive activities can help people feel more emotionally grounded. When life feels overwhelming or emotions are running high, doing something simple and repetitive can bring a sense of calm. These activities don’t need to be complicated or take a lot…
Can Structured Choices Support Autonomy Many people think that autonomy means complete freedom with no rules or limits. But in real life, especially for children and people who need extra support, autonomy often works best when it comes together with…
Feeling frustrated is something everyone goes through. It can happen when things don’t go as planned, when tasks seem too big, or when life feels out of control. But there’s a simple idea that can help: giving yourself clear, small…
Talking through the steps of a task can significantly improve task completion by helping individuals organize their thoughts, maintain focus, and monitor progress. When people verbalize each step, they engage in a process called metacognition—thinking about their own thinking—which supports…
Building Daily Rituals Support Memory Anchoring What is Memory Anchoring? Memory anchoring happens when your brain connects emotions to specific moments, people, or situations. Think about how a particular song can instantly transport you back to a specific time in…