My mother was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. She’s originally from Germany, and didn’t learn English until she was in her 20’s. Is she going to forget English altogether? How can I communicate with her if I don’t speak her language?
Worried English-Speaker
Dear Worried,
There are many factors to determine how far back she will go in her life. There certainly have been instances where someone goes back to their teen years. She may be more comfortable speaking German than English. I worked with a lady once whose first language was French, and she seemed to be speaking French. However, we had several tutors from the city of her birth work with her, and they said that she was speaking a combination of French and English. Even though she didn’t seem to be speaking English, we were able to understand her enough to make certain her basic needs were met. My own mother’s first language was German, but her parents had not allowed any of the children to speak German after about the time my mother entered elementary school. She had very advanced Vascular Dementia prior to her death, and though she would say a few words in German, she spoke mainly English. Many people with Alzheimer’s actually lose the ability to speak at all, and if they can speak they have difficulty completing sentences and thoughts. However, regardless of language or ability to speak, it is still possible to communicate, to enjoy spending time together, and to make certain her needs are met. I wish I could promise you that your mom could be your mom. If she does lose the ability to speak English, the two of you can still play games that don’t require the use of language.