I’ve been in the caregiver field for a short time so far and my client has dementia. She mumbles 99% of the time. She is mostly bedridden and when she calls out loudly to me I can understand about half of what she’s saying. When I get in there to see what she needs she mumbles so badly I can only make out one or two words if I’m lucky. Not sure how to handle this. Or how to respond when she’s looking at me expecting me to answer her and I haven’t a clue what she said.
You might discuss it with her doctor too, to rule out any pain that she could have that she is not able to communicate about.
You might also check out online videos by Teepa Snow on dementia. She has a method of how you can hold the patients hand and touch their arm in order to get an idea of how they are feeling and if they are in pain, if their communication is not good. I'm not that familiar with it, but, recall seeing it on You Tube. She has a lot of suggestions for helping understand and manage care.
There 's more here than dementia if she is bed bound. Did she have a stroke? If so, she may not be able to talk. Who is paying you for her care? Family? Is there someone you can question about her health history. Maybe some speech therapy will help her.
Put in search "Talking Boards for Stroke Victims" Here is what I found.
https://www.hopkinsmedicalproducts.com/images/xxl/Picture-Communication-Board.jpg
This way she can point to what she needs. There r some sophisticated ones but they are pricy. Maybe you can put one together cutting out pictures from a magazine. It has to be as frustrating for her as it is for you.
Sometimes we just couldn't figure it out so I did what I could to comfort her and sometimes it was part of her pattern of anxiety and dementia to call repeatedly for no reason.
Does she have dementia?
I suppose the reason doesn't matter since if her mumbling is the symptom of something medical it's probably not something you can fix.
I wonder how long you've been working with her. Maybe you can get used to her mumbling and begin to understand her.
You're only other recourse is to ask her to repeat herself which I know can be tedious for you and annoying for her but you have to know what she needs. If sh's lucid explain to her that you're having difficulty understanding her and ask her if she can speak more clearly. You have to be able to understand her so she can communicate her needs to you.
I do know that she can read aloud pretty good. She can read the tv commercials.
Flash cards or pictures and such as recommended just might help.
A speech therapist might be able to help set up some cards or pictures.
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