Dos & Don'ts
Quick do-this-not-that cards for everyday situations. Simple, at-a-glance reminders.
Talking with someone who has aphasia
Do
- Give plenty of time to respond
- Use short sentences and one idea at a time
- Offer gestures, writing, and pictures
- Confirm you've understood the message
Don't
- Finish their sentences unless asked
- Speak loudly - it's language, not hearing
- Talk about them as if they aren't there
- Quiz or correct every word
Helping someone eat and drink safely For anyone with swallowing difficulty (dysphagia).
Do
- Sit fully upright before eating
- Take small bites and unhurried sips
- Follow any texture advice from the SLT
- Stay upright for a while after meals
Don't
- Rush or talk with a full mouth
- Eat lying down or slumped
- Ignore coughing or a 'wet' voice at meals
- Give thin drinks if thickened ones were advised
Communicating with someone who has dementia
Do
- Approach calmly and from the front
- Use short, simple sentences
- Offer simple choices ('tea or coffee?')
- Go with their reality and reassure
Don't
- Argue or say 'don't you remember?'
- Ask lots of open, testing questions
- Rush or talk over them
- Take frustration personally
Preventing falls at home
Do
- Keep walkways clear and well lit
- Wear supportive, non-slip footwear
- Use prescribed aids every time
- Rise slowly to avoid dizziness
Don't
- Leave loose rugs or trailing cables
- Rush to answer the door or phone
- Carry things that block your view
- Skip the aid 'just this once'
Protecting a weak arm and shoulder After a stroke, the weaker shoulder is easily injured.
Do
- Support the arm on a pillow or table
- Move the shoulder gently within comfort
- Handle the arm carefully when transferring
- Report new shoulder pain to your team
Don't
- Pull on the weak arm to move the person
- Let the arm dangle unsupported
- Force stretches through pain
- Leave the hand swollen and dependent
Managing fatigue
Do
- Plan activity around your best hours
- Break tasks into smaller chunks
- Rest before you're exhausted (pacing)
- Keep a simple, regular sleep routine
Don't
- Push through until you crash
- Rely on caffeine to power through
- Book everything on one 'good day'
- Assume fatigue means you're not trying
Making home practice stick
Do
- Practise the real task you want to improve
- Do a little, often - most days
- Set small, specific, meaningful goals
- Celebrate progress, not perfection
Don't
- Wait for one long session a week
- Chase a single 'miracle' method
- Compare your pace to anyone else's
- Give up after an off day
Supporting someone's recovery
Do
- Encourage independence, even if it's slower
- Let them do what they safely can
- Notice and name small wins
- Look after your own wellbeing too
Don't
- Take over every task to save time
- Speak for them by default
- Focus only on what's not back yet
- Skip your own breaks and support
Helping during a seizure For a convulsive (shaking) seizure.
Do
- Note the time it starts
- Cushion their head and clear nearby objects
- Roll them onto their side once jerking stops
- Stay until they're fully recovered
Don't
- Put anything in their mouth
- Restrain or hold them down
- Give food or drink until fully alert
- Leave them alone while confused
Managing a bad fatigue day For fatigue in MS, stroke, brain injury, and more.
Do
- Rest before you're empty, in short planned breaks
- Prioritise one or two things that matter
- Sit to work and keep things within reach
- Keep cool and hydrated
Don't
- Push through to total exhaustion
- Cram all hard tasks into one burst
- Skip meals or sleep to 'catch up'
- Judge yourself by a good day
Everyday brain-healthy habits Simple levers that protect thinking at any age.
Do
- Move your body most days
- Stay socially connected
- Keep learning something new and a little hard
- Protect your sleep and manage blood pressure
Don't
- Rely on 'brain-training' apps alone
- Smoke, or drink heavily
- Let hearing or vision problems go unchecked
- Assume decline is inevitable
Helping a child's talking Everyday ways to grow language and thinking.
Do
- Talk, describe, and listen through daily routines
- Read together and chat about the story
- Give time to answer; follow their lead
- Play turn-taking and 'stop/go' games
Don't
- Fill every silence or quiz them
- Rely on passive screen time
- Constantly correct - model instead
- Compare them anxiously to other children