Talking Mats

Talking Mats are a way to engage with people with communication or cognitive difficulties, including those who have dementia.

Face to face 1-2-1 conversation or interviews
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Tips for dementia-friendly 1-2-1 conversations and interviews

If a person is finding any kind of conversation too difficult, they may use non-verbal communication. As dementia progresses, this may become the main way a person communicates. You might find these tips for communicating non-verbally useful.

Visual prompts, such language mats, or pictures in magazines or catalogues, can support people to express what they want to say.

Talking Mats offer a structured way for people to explore a topic and share their thoughts using picture based communication.

Pros and cons

Useful for: people who benefit from a visual way of expressing themselves rather than speech or writing. This may enable a person to speak for themselves rather than through having a family member or proxy speaking for them. In this video Dr Joan Murphy explains benefits for people with dementia to express their views.

Time and costs: depend on equipment and training. Find out more at https://www.talkingmats.com

Preparation

Consider carefully what you want to find out about and plan questions which will enable the particular person you are talking with to express themselves, taking account of their cognitive abilities.