09/14/2026
Meet Them Where They Are 💜
If someone with dementia tells you they're getting ready for work – even though they retired years ago… Do you correct them? Or do you ask, “What did you do for work?”
If they think they're waiting for their parents to pick them up… Do you remind them that their parents have passed away? Or do you sit with them and say, “Tell me about your parents.”
Sometimes, the most helpful response isn't correcting the facts, but rather stepping into their reality for a moment.
For someone living with dementia, the emotions behind a memory can feel very real – even when the details are no longer accurate. Meeting them where they are can reduce frustration, encourage conversation, and create an opportunity for meaningful interaction.
This doesn't mean agreeing with everything. It means choosing compassion over correction and connection over confrontation – remembering that connection doesn’t always require being in the same reality. Sometimes, the most meaningful way to connect is to meet them in theirs.