I read an article on using something called Talking Mats with dementia patients. I Googled it and found that it's an aid that can be used with people with various types of conditions that impair their ability to communicate. It reminded me of something like flashcards with pictures on them. I wondered if anyone here has used any techniques involving pictures to help communicate with their spouses?
I was a speech/language therapist, and we have another one on these boards also - Shoegirl. In the speech/language field, they are called Communication Boards, and we used them all the time with children and adults with communications difficuties due to develpmental delays, communication disorders, and a variety of other disabilities. They range from very low tech - every day general needs pictures on one simple board, to a 3-ringer binder with tabs.
Depending on the level of comprehension impairment, they can be useful with dementia patients who have communication difficulties.
Oh, and I know I'm biased. Can't help it. But it's my opinion that anyone who thinks their spouse needs communication help, they should not spend the money on those Talking Mats and try to do it themselves. Get your doctor to recommend speech therapy by a professional speech therapist. She/he will be able to determine what your spouse needs and will provide it as part of the course of the therapy, which is covered by most insurances.
I agree with Joan. You could get a speech therapist to make a communication board for you or you could make one for yourself. Since I work with school aged children and not dementia patients (except for the one I am married to), I don't have much experience with dementia. I do know that B. has trouble "tracking" visually, as in he can't really read a calendar anymore. I think the success of a communication board would depend on it's simplicity and on what stage a person is in. I do think it would be worth a try.