WORKSHOP 1 - Understanding the World of Alzheimer's
WORKSHOP 2 - Non Verbal Communication
WORKSHOP 3 - Verbal Communication
WORKSHOP 4 - Listening Skills
WORKSHOP 5 - Tools for Behaviors
WORKSHOP 6 - Tools for Caregiving

WORKSHOP TWO - NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION

RITUAL: Name tags/Handouts/Snack/Sit in a new seat

DISCUSSION: Talk about last week’s class. Do you have any questions about what we talked about last week? Can anyone tell me what dementia is? Can you tell me three words that have to do with Alzheimer’s disease?

ICEBREAKER: Pick one from my big list

WARM UP: Point Nod Walk

BRAINSTORM - PAIRS: List of non-verbal communication
Break into pairs and see who can come up with the most ways to communicate non-verbally in 3 minutes. At the end of three minutes ask for one pair to share their list, if anyone has different ones to add ask them to stand and share from their list.

Talk about non-verbal communication. We communicate non verbally 24 hours a day.

HANDOUTS: I usually follow the handouts. You can print out just the handout for the discussion below here.

EXERCISE: Mirrors

DISCUSSION: About the Mirrors game

1. Eye Contact
   Very important for accurate communication: to give complete attention to the individual, to show respect and to connect from one person to another.
   
   "How many of you have held a newborn baby?"
   
   OK. What did you look at? The face. Eyes ? Right ? Then you checked the fingers and toes. How many of you have been with someone when they are dying? What are you looking at ? The eyes. Waiting for them to close or glaze over. We aren’t checking the fingers or toes anymore. Form the time we are born til the moment we die we are focusing on the eyes. How important eye contact is to human beings. We are connected through our eyes. Now those of you who found someone you didn’t know very well to play the Mirror game and you had to make eye contact with the other person for 2 minutes - I bet if you didn’t say Hello to them in the hallways before the next time they are walking down the hall and you see each other you will day “ Hey ! Hi ! You were my partner - remember ( mime doing the mirror game) “ You didn’t share any new information or facts about each other, you simply connected through eye contact.
   
2. Body Language /Facial Expressions
   Does your face match your words ? When you aren’t speaking what does your face say to those around you?
   
   Match your body language with your intent. Know that someone is always watching you. You need to be able to read others body
   language and know is the individual saying to you with their body
   language?
   
   "If I were to stand before you and say, Wow, I sure am glad I am here with you today." (Say it with sarcasm and negative body language)" Did you believe me? What did you think? Right - my words did not match my facial expressions, my body language or my vocal characteristics.
   
3. FLIP CHART
   Write the Statistic
   People we communicate with will take away from us:
   7% of our words
   38% of vocal characteristics : tone, volume, inflection
   55% of body language and facial expressions
   
   EXERCISE: I Can Name that Body Language in ...
   EXERCISE: Pass the face
   EXERCISE: Movement circle !
   
4. Mirroring/Modeling/Cueing
   When necessary you can model/cue an activity for an individual/group. Try and show it in steps, just like when you are vocalizing instructions.
   
   DISCUSSION:
   EXERCISE: Movement Circle
   
5. Approach/Proximity
   Both are forms of communicating. Approach a person from the front and be aware of how close you are when speaking, especially when the person is seated.
   
   VISUALIZATION: Close your eyes. You are in a wheelchair in a hallway and you are dozing in and out. You open you eyes and you are not sure where you are right now. There is something that looks familiar but then you hear some scary noises down the hall. You see some people but you don’t know who they are, you see doorways but can’t tell where they go. You start to feel anxious and you can feel you heart beating a little faster and are wanting to call out when ... (Be walking around the room as you do this and pick someone who is visible to most of the group and place you hand firmly on their shoulder at this moment. They usually jump a bit.) "How did that feel? What would you do ?"
   
6. Face to Face /Eye Level
   Speak and gesture face to face and try to communicate at their eye level when possible.
   
7. Senses
   Be aware of communicating with other senses; smell, sight, taste
   and touch...Touch is very important.
   
8. Silence
   It really can be golden.

Supplemental Exercises:
EXERCISE: Clap Pass
EXERCISE: Group Mime
EXERCISE: Scene in 2 sentences- verbal and non verbal

CLOSER: Look at list of closers.

EVALUATION: Fill out one page evaluation (click for printable PDF)

HOMEWORK : Look over your handouts and which of these apply to you? Which one can you focus on for this next week?