Expert: Paula Damgaard - 2/1/2009

Question
Dear Paula,

I am also an "Expert" on whatever has to do with Nails as a Professional Nail & Make up Artist in my country. I am 31 and my knowledge on the AD is pretty limited.

It happens to meet and finally get clients with Alzheimer Disease. I have 4 women (I've been a family friend for 3 of them for many years) and I treat them almost every 20 days. Some of their relatives talk about the subject and others pretend it's nothing...
I am asking for your guidance on how I should approach, handle and communicate with them. As an example, one of them falls asleep while I am giving her manicure or/and pedicure.
Thank you very-very much for your time. It is really important to me to be professional but above all to be human.

J.

Answer
I think that you should communicate with them just as you would any other client.  Always call them by their names, some prefer to go by their first name others still want to be known as Mrs.....
Take your clues from the family members, if they feel like talking about the disease, then talk about it.  If they don't, it certainly isn't your place to bring it up.  

Same as if a person had cancer, you wouldn't bring up the disease everytime they came in.  You would ask how they were feeling, and if they wanted to talk about it that would be your clue, if not leave it alone and talk about other things.  

As for the sleeping, I would talk to the family member who brings them in, for some they need you to keep them awake, because they are turning their sleep clocks around and this is not a good thing.  So keeping them awake will help them to sleep at night.  

Mostly I have found that people just like to talk.  So be a good listener.  If they ask you specific disease questions, refer them to the Alzheimer's Association if you have one in your country or tell them to go online and they can get information from them.

Hope this helps.  Paula