Saying More, Sooner: Why Communication Planning Matters

For individuals living with dementia, communication gradually becomes more difficult—spoken language may fade, expression may change, and misunderstandings can increase.

But when communication planning starts early, families and care teams are better prepared to honour the person’s preferences, preserve dignity, and provide truly compassionate care.

Early communication planning ensures that a person’s voice—both literal and symbolic—is not lost. As a dementia care expert, I’ve seen how planning ahead improves not only the quality of care, but also emotional wellbeing for everyone involved.

What Is Communication Planning?

Communication planning involves:

• Discussing and documenting how the person currently prefers to express themselves
• Noting what helps or hinders understanding
• Recording key phrases, body language, or tools that support connection
• Preparing strategies for non-verbal stages of dementia
• Sharing preferences with carers and medical teams
• Creating legacy messages while verbal ability is strong

It’s an essential part of Advance Care Planning and deeply linked to emotional wellbeing and identity.

Why Early Is Best

Starting communication planning early:

• Preserves authentic voice and tone for later reflection
• Ensures care aligns with emotional and cultural values
• Prevents distress caused by unmet or misinterpreted needs
• Reduces the burden on carers and the sandwich generation
• Makes legacy work—like ethical wills or video messages—more meaningful

When individuals can still clearly express their preferences, routines, and values, families can document them accurately for future use.

Signs to Begin Communication Planning

Start early if your loved one is:

• Recently diagnosed with dementia
• Having occasional memory lapses or word-finding difficulties
• Becoming anxious during conversations
• Feeling misunderstood or frustrated when trying to express needs
• Ready to begin legacy or care planning

Even if symptoms are mild, early conversations ensure care remains centred around the person—not the disease.

What to Include in a Communication Plan

• Preferred terms and phrasing (e.g. “tea” not “coffee”, “Dad” not “Father”)
• Body language and facial expressions that indicate comfort or distress
• Daily routines or expressions (e.g. “Don’t forget my crossword!”)
• Triggers to avoid (e.g. loud voices, being rushed)
• Spiritual or cultural language preferences
• Non-verbal communication methods like pointing, pictures, or gestures
• Comfort phrases or affirmations that soothe or ground the person

This information can be stored in a secure Evaheld vault for access by family and carers.

How This Supports Later-Stage Care

When communication fades, these insights guide carers in providing personalised, compassionate support.

For example:

• Knowing that a person responds well to being spoken to softly while holding their hand
• Understanding that a favourite hymn calms them at night
• Recognising a specific gesture means “I need help”
• Being able to use recorded voice messages to reduce agitation or confusion

This level of care affirms identity and reduces unnecessary medication or intervention.

Creating Legacy Through Communication

Communication planning isn’t just about medical support—it’s about legacy. Early planning allows individuals to:

• Record messages for future birthdays or milestones
• Share their humour, warmth, and voice tone
• Express love, apology, or guidance that might otherwise go unsaid
• Create a legacy letter or video diary for loved ones
• Describe their own story, values, and beliefs in their own words

These recordings can be shared privately through platforms like Evaheld, with selected recipients and future release dates.

Involving Carers and Professionals

Once communication preferences are known, carers can:

• Adapt their style and pace of interaction
• Use specific phrases or gestures to provide comfort
• Minimise miscommunication and behavioural stress
• Reinforce daily routines that feel safe and familiar

You can also work with speech therapists, occupational therapists, and dementia specialists to refine the plan. Many professionals are now incorporating legacy-based goals into Advance Care Directives.

Making It a Family Conversation

Start by asking:

• “What helps you feel understood when you're tired or confused?”
• “Are there words or phrases that make you feel comforted?”
• “Is there anything that frustrates you when people talk to you?”
• “Would you like to record a few messages for the family?”

These gentle prompts open doors to deeper conversations and help create legacy materials that reflect true voice and personality.

Using Tools and Prompts

You can use:

• Evaheld’s secure vault to store voice notes and preferences
• Family Legacy Series prompts for storytelling
• Nurse Info for support with non-verbal communication
• Advance Care Planning Australia for formal care documents
• Evaheld Blog for ongoing guidance and reflection tools

These platforms simplify the process and ensure consistency across family and professional care teams.

In Summary

Your voice is part of who you are. For people living with dementia, early communication planning preserves that voice—not just for care, but for legacy. It ensures needs are respected, messages are heard, and memories are passed on.

Start while the words still come easily. Record preferences. Capture laughter. And use platforms like Evaheld to ensure that, no matter what the future brings, your voice is never truly lost.