Tag Archives: improv comedy

If you’ve ever attended an improv comedy show, you know that part of the fun is the unexpected ways the skits unfold. Each show is a bit different, based upon the contributions from the players on stage as well as the audience.

Now think about having a conversation with a person with dementia. It may go in unexpected directions. You have to think on your feet about how to respond. Politeness may go out the window; humor, whether intended or not, may present itself. Sometimes conversations may run off the tracks altogether, or into a darker, angrier place, and you’ll need to deploy distraction and redirection techniques.

As a dementia caregiver, you may not have considered the improvisation skills you’ve been implementing in daily communication, but geriatric professionals have taken notice. Where I live in Atlanta, there’s an organization called Improving Through Improv that has a program dedicated to facilitating communication between those with dementia and their caregivers.

A common improv technique is using “Yes, and …” as a bridge between recognizing what the previous person said and then adding to the conversation. One can either build upon what the previous person said or take the conversation in a different direction. The idea is to keep the communication moving forward in a positive manner. For those with dementia, the simple “yes” affirmation may be meaningful and effective, as they may have to deal with other people who constantly correct their mistakes.

Many family members who care for loved ones with dementia find it difficult to let go of a strict sense of reality; my mother struggled with this when caring for my father. She would always correct my father when he said something that wasn’t true, which only left him more confused. For some caregivers, giving in can feel like they are losing their minds too. By using “Yes, and …” caregivers can acknowledge their loved one’s viewpoint without having to agree and remain empowered to steer the conversation forward.

One of the most difficult aspects of dementia caregiving is accepting the fact that while your loved one may look the same, they may be moving in a different reality. “Meet them where they are,” is one recommendation for dementia caregivers, and deploying improv techniques can help in bridging the gap and building a new way of communicating.

Image by Google Gemini.