Yes or No Is Usually No

As you embark upon this journey, one helpful hint I heard is to never ask your parent a yes or no question, unless you are looking for "no." People with even slight dementia will often answer "no" if they don't understand the question or the repercussions of their answer; for instance, if they suspect that you have alterior motives.

So the best way to ask a question is to make it a suggestion or a foregone conclusion. The example I read was to not ask, "Do you want to go for a walk?" (A yes or no question). Instead, suggest "Let's go for a walk." You are more likely to get a yes to the latter question. And if they put you off, say okay and ask again 4 hours later.