Keeping the conversation going: How progressivity is prioritised in co-remembering talk between couples impacted by...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Linguistics
• Psychology

Background:

• Memory loss in dementia can lead to identity loss, impacting individuals and their families.
• Conversations about shared memories (co-rememberings) can be challenging due to recall difficulties.
• Previous research indicates interactional difficulties for carers of people living with dementia (PLWD).

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze interactional practices partners use to sustain conversations about shared memories with PLWD.
• To identify strategies that facilitate conversational progressivity in co-remembering with PLWD.
• To address difficulties reported by carers interacting with PLWD.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of over 26 hours of video data from domestic settings.
• Focus on 14 conversational sequences involving partners and PLWD discussing shared memories.
• Qualitative analysis of interactional practices.

Main Results:

• Partners employ specific practices like candidate answers, tag questions, and single-party recall to facilitate conversation.
• These practices help prevent conversational stalls for PLWD.
• Conversational progressivity enhances the sense of shared connection, supporting identity maintenance.

Conclusions:

• The process of co-remembering, rather than accurate memory recall, is crucial for maintaining connection and identity in PLWD.
• Interactional strategies can significantly improve communication with individuals living with dementia.
• Findings are applicable to various care settings supporting PLWD.