Responses of persons living with dementia to validating communication by family caregivers: a secondary analysis

Abstract Validation is a person-centered approach for communicating with people living with dementia (PLWD). This study evaluated how PLWD respond to caregiver communication that includes or fails to include validation. This secondary analysis of homecare videos (N=41) of family caregivers interacting with a PLWD during daily care used behavioral coding of validating communication (affirmation, acknowledging emotions, encouraging emotional expression, verbalizing understanding) in relation to responses of PLWD (resistiveness to care, apathy, or cooperation). A 10 second time-lag sequential analysis identified an 11% probability of a cooperative response when caregivers communicated using affirmations. Caregiver verbalizations of understanding resulted in a 6% probability and silence had an 8% probability of cooperative responses. Use of validating communication did not result in a significant probability of negative PLWD responses (apathy or resistiveness to care). Use of validating communication strategies may assist caregivers to achieve goals of care without negative responses from PLWD.