Transcript Quilting - Personal Web Pages

Quilting Intervention
Stephanie Wilson
May 6, 2006
Alzheimer’s Disease
As this disease progresses,
communication becomes difficult for
older adults.
Quilting is a useful and guiding tool
when having conversations with older
adults with AD and keeps the
conversation flowing.
Definition of Quilting
When speaking to an older adult with
Alzheimer’s Disease, repeat or rephrase
what the speaker says and then quilt or
blend that phrase into the next
conversation.
Example of Quilting
S1: “My mother was a nurse when she
lived in Georgia.”
S2: “Oh, your mother worked in
Georgia as a nurse.”
Next Conversation
S2: “Last time, we talked about your
mother who used to live in Georgia.”
S1: “Yes, she was a nurse down there.”
Using the Quilting Intervention
“ A patient with pragmatic communication
deficits may communicate adequately,
especially in brief interactions about familiar
topics. The signs…may only be apparent in
longer discourses such as conversations and
stories” (Kempler, 2005).
This technique is helpful for expanding on
details of stories and also recalling of more
content within stories.
Helpful Tips with Quilting
Have background information about the
person with AD before the actual
conversation
Remember details of the conversation
for future conversations
Try not to rush the speaker to respond
Become comfortable with pausing
Body Language
Non-verbal encouragement can help
older adults with AD to communicate
more effectively.
After quilting, lean a little closer and lift
eyebrows to show interest.
These things can lessen the pressure on
older adults to respond and can allow
more confidence in responses.
Personal Experience
After communicating with residents at the
Havens as a volunteer, I have come to
appreciate this technique in conversation.
It helped me to overcome my fear of
communicating with older adults with
dementia and it also allowed me to learn
about their interesting experiences
throughout their lives.
References
Moore & Davis 2002
Kempler (2005). Pragmatic
communication deficits. Neurocognitive
Disorders in Aging, 87-104.