Module 2 Lesson 2. Improving communication How to get attention in a respectful way? The person living with dementia is a person with feelings, no matter how serious the disease is or how advanced communication problems are. Therefore, an important first step is to make contact with the person you care for by catching their attention. Remember Gaining attention is a first important step for good communication. There are different ways to gain the attention of a person living with dementia in a respectful manner.