In an emergency situation an individual living with dementia is likely to be anxious and disorientated.

• Stop, look and listen and assess the situation.

• Approach slowly from the front, leaving a 1 metre space between yourself and the person.

• Be mindful that as dementia progresses vision can become significantly impaired so you need to get into their visual field. For those without hearing loss, hearing can be accentuated so shouting and loud noises can be frightening.

• Get to their level to make eye contact.

• Say hello and use their name if known.

• Introduce yourself in a warm and friendly manner. Use a calm tone.

• People with dementia understand visual cues rather than words. Therefore use visual cues to help them understand.