Your grandmother wants to tell you something. She starts the sentence, loses the word, tries again and then waves her hand and says "Oh, never mind." You can see the frustration. So can she.
Dementia changes how people speak, listen and understand. The NHS explains that as the condition progresses, the person's ability to process information gets weaker and their responses can slow down. Carers often find they need to start conversations themselves.
How you talk matters most, and we cover those techniques in our guide to communicating more effectively with someone living with dementia. This article is about the tools that sit alongside good conversation: the objects, aids and technology that make it easier for someone to understand and be understood.
Start by Checking Hearing and Eyesight
Before buying any communication aid, check the basics. It's surprisingly common for a hearing problem to be mistaken for a dementia problem, or for both to be happening at once.
Hearing and dementia are closely linked. The 2024 Lancet Commission on dementia identified hearing loss as one of 14 potentially modifiable risk factors for dementia, estimating it accounts for around 7 percent of cases. Untreated vision loss was added to the list in the same report.
For someone already living with dementia, poor hearing makes conversations harder to follow and can lead to withdrawal. Practical steps:
Book a hearing test, and check existing hearing aids are working, charged and actually being worn.
Make sure glasses are the current prescription and clean.
Turn off the TV or radio during conversations. The NHS suggests reducing distractions, as long as you check first.
Use captions on the TV and on video calls.
Try a personal amplifier for one-on-one conversations if hearing aids aren't an option yet.
This step is cheap, often overlooked and can make every other tool on this list work better.
Visual Tools: Pictures, Cards and Boards
When words get harder, pictures can carry meaning. Visual tools help someone understand what's being said and express what they want.
Picture or choice cards. Simple cards showing a cup of tea, the toilet, a bed or a coat let someone point to what they need. Offering two cards ("tea or coffee?") is easier than an open question.
A memory book. The Alzheimer's Society suggests a memory book or box with photos and short notes about the people in someone's life: their name and how the person knows them. It helps with names without anyone having to test or correct.
Whiteboards and calendars. A whiteboard in the kitchen showing the day, date and what's happening ("Anna visits at 2") answers repeated questions without a conversation having to happen each time.
Labels and signs. Pictures or words on cupboards and doors help someone find things and move around the house with more confidence.
Visual tools tend to become more useful as dementia progresses and spoken language becomes harder.
Memory Aids That Reduce Pressure
A lot of communication stress comes from someone being asked things they can't remember. Tools that hold the information for them take that pressure off.
The Alzheimer's Society's guidance on memory aids and tools covers options such as clocks that show the day and date, notice boards and diaries. A clock that says "Tuesday afternoon" in large letters can settle a lot of anxious questions about what day it is. Our guide to how dementia affects time perception explains why that confusion happens.
A notebook by the phone where visitors and callers write a short line ("Rang to say hi, will call Sunday. Mike") also helps someone keep track of who's been in touch.
Technology That Helps People Connect
The Alzheimer's Society has a helpful guide on using technology in everyday life. Useful options for communication include:
Simplified phones and video calling. Phones with large buttons or photo speed-dial let someone call family by tapping a face instead of remembering a number. Tablets set up with a single video-call button work the same way.
Voice assistants. Smart speakers can answer "What day is it?", play music on request or make a call hands-free. They suit people who find screens confusing but are comfortable speaking.
Video messages. Short recorded videos from family can explain a task or simply say hello. Our guide to how video reminders help in dementia care covers how to record ones that work.
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hoto sharing. A digital photo frame that family can send pictures to gives something new to talk about on each visit.
Go slowly with any new technology. Set it up, test it together, and keep the number of options small. A device with one job is easier than one with twenty.
Elli Cares brings several of these tools into one simple app. Family can record video reminders in their own voice, send messages through the care circle and see how the day is going through the activity log. For families who live apart, it keeps everyone connected to what's happening without relying on the person to remember and relay it.
Music as a Way to Connect
Music often reaches people when words don't. The Alzheimer's Association notes that studies have shown music may reduce agitation, and that even in the late stages someone may still be able to tap a beat or sing lyrics from childhood.
Its tips for using music:
choose music the person knows and enjoys, and let them pick if they can
use a source without advertisements, which can confuse
match the music to the mood you want, calmer or more upbeat
encourage movement like clapping or swaying
turn off competing noise such as the TV
A playlist of songs from their teens and twenties is a good starting point. Singing together counts as connection, even if conversation is hard that day.
Choosing Tools by Stage
Early stage: memory aids, calendars, notebooks, simplified phones, video calling, reminders. The person can usually help choose and set these up, which is worth doing while they can.
Middle stage: picture cards, memory books, labels and signs, clocks with day and date, voice assistants, music.
Later stage: music, touch, familiar voices and faces, photos. The goal shifts from exchanging information to feeling close.
There's no fixed timeline, and tools that work one week may not work the next. Keep what helps and let go of what doesn't.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are communication aids for dementia?
Tools that help someone understand and express themselves, such as picture cards, memory books, whiteboards, clocks showing the day and date, simplified phones, voice assistants and music.
Does hearing loss affect dementia?
Hearing loss is a recognised risk factor for dementia, and for someone already living with dementia it makes conversations harder. Checking hearing and hearing aids is one of the most useful first steps.
What's the best app for someone with dementia?
The best app is the simplest one the person can use confidently. Look for large text, few steps and support from family, and set it up together.
Can music help someone with dementia communicate?
Music can help people connect and may reduce agitation. Familiar songs can prompt singing and engagement even when conversation has become difficult.
Keep It Human
No tool replaces patience, eye contact and time. The right aids just make those moments easier to have. If you're looking for a simple way to keep the family connected day to day, see how Elli works on our Seniors and Families page.
