Rethinking Communication guide to advanced dementia

19 with dementia may appear to be completely detached from reality. Advanced dementia differs from earlier stages of the illness in several ways. The most obvious is physical. A person may be unable to walk or bear their own weight. They may require help in order to make the most basic of movements, for example shifting their position on a chair or in bed. This is not the case for all individuals. Some become very active, walking about continuously. This behaviour can often be observed in care homes, where those with advanced dementia who are mobile may seem to spend their whole day walking up and down corridors, in and out of rooms. This can be stressful for everyone involved. Caregivers may find it difficult to help the person to eat or to wash, because of the pacing.