print newspaper as an interactional affordance in an interaction with a person with dementia

Abstract

Background/method: Using conversation analytical methodology, this article presents a detailed analysis of how a person with dementia uses the affordances of a print newspaper to initiate, manage, and close topics in an interaction with a visiting researcher during leisure time in the common room of a dementia unit. Results: The analyses show how a print newspaper is introduced and handled effortlessly by a person with dementia and used for communication purposes. The person with dementia recurrently contributes to the interaction by making observations about and assessments of the visual appearance of the newspaper, reading aloud from the newspaper, and commenting. Discussion/conclusion: The study discusses how social interaction that is anchored in familiar objects such as a newspaper may help persons with dementia and their interactional partners find common conversational ground that does not rely on access to specific memories of the past, which may increase active participation by the person with dementia.