This study is based on the observation that the Alzheimer patient’s conversational competence tends to decrease and disappear before the neurofunctional damage has cancelled it irreversibly.Previous studies by Giampaolo Lai have showed that such a competence can be awakened and kept alive by means of a special conversational technique (named Conversationalisme) performed by a competent therapist. In this paper we will report about five training sessions with the wife of an Alzheimer’s patient aimed at enabling her to have a conversation that could keep her husband’s conversational competence alive. The technique is based on the study of some recorded and taped everyday conversations between husband and wife.

Pietro Vigorelli, Gianluigi Valenti, in "TERAPIA FAMILIARE" 72/2003, pp. , DOI: