這一篇文章係針對溝通之概念與技巧加以討論，並分析如何與老人和失智症患者保持和諧之關係。第一節先介紹溝通之概念；第二節要說明溝通之目的，就是要瞭解老人目前之生活狀況及身心需要；第三節要分析溝通之發信者與收信者之彼此互動；第四節要說明溝通之方式包括了非口語與口語之溝通方式；第五節要討論促進溝通之原則與技巧，要具有伸縮性與適應性；第六節要探討跟失智症患者之溝通認識與技巧；第七節要試用角色扮演來表達溝通之實際情境，建議由參與研習者擔任照顧者與失智症患者之角色；第八節要提示對失智症患者與阿滋海默症患者之溝通技巧與訣竅。結論建議醫護保健、復健職能、社會工作、心理治療、老人保健、休閒治療師、志工人士與家庭親友都要學習溝通之概念與技巧才能夠與老人和失智症患者保持和諧之人際關係與治療關係。

This paper will discuss the concept and skills of communication for the elderly and dementia patients. The first section will present the basic concept of communication. The second section will discuss the purposes of communication. The most important purpose is to understand the urgent needs of the elderly and his/her current living condition. The third section is to analyze the interaction of message sender and receiver. The fourth section is to discuss the ways of communication through verbal and non-verbal communication. The fifth section will review the principles and skills of promoting the communication. The sixth section will analyze the particular communication skills used for dementia patients. The seventh section will discuss the method of role-playing for communicating with elderly having Alzheimer's disease. The eighth section will discuss the communication skills used by care taker of difficult patients. The Conclusion will recommend that all health care professionals, social workers, psychotherapists, leisure-recreational therapists, physical-occupational therapists, volunteers, and family friends should learn the basic concept and skills of communication, so they will be able to maintain a harmonious relationship with the elderly and dementia patients.