title: Practice question.
abstract: Communication is an important part of everyday life ( Littlejohn and Foss 2008 ). It helps us to understand the world around us ( Killick and Allan 2001 ), express our needs and build rapport with others. Communication can be verbal through speech or other vocalisations, or non-verbal through gestures and body language. People with dementia often face challenges communicating with others. Cognitive changes, for example, poor short-term memory, difficulty concentrating and impaired language skills can inhibit communication. People might have difficulty finding words or understanding what others are saying. They can be disorientated in time and place, or have problems concentrating which can hamper their ability to process new information. Nurses can help by adjusting how they communicate.
authors.affiliation: Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pritchard