What do you do when the person you love says something that isn’t true, and correcting them only makes things worse? In this episode, Lyndal introduces two approaches that are practical and powerful, and can make a big difference for both the person living with dementia, and their families and carers – connection over correction and validation. Lyndal explains why correction so often backfires – and what to do instead. If you’ve ever felt lost in one of those difficult conversations, this episode is for you.
In this episode:
- Why our instinct to correct comes from love, and why it so often makes things harder
- A conversation with a woman whose husband said he was going on a date with a high-school girlfriend and the reframe that changed everything
- Why dementia doesn’t just affect memory and what that means for moments of conflict
- The nervous system piece that explains why correction can cause distress
- What ‘connection over correction’ actually looks like in a real conversation
- The second approach – validation
- A simple shift Lyndal made with her own mum that ended a pattern of arguing
- Why the pause before you respond might be the most important moment in the whole conversation
- The difference between feeling safe and feeling dysregulated, and why it matters for the whole day ahead.
Links & Resources
- Listen to episode 8 – Dementia & Brain Change
- Dementia Doulas Australia
- Dementia Support Australia website
- Dementia Australia website
- Alzheimer’s Queensland
- Connect with Lyndal Harris on LinkedIn
- Follow Lyndal on Facebook
- Follow Lyndal on Instagram
This podcast is for educational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for professional medical advice.
