Did you have to learn new communication skills?

As my mother slides from mere cognitive decline (coupled with a personality disorder) to early dementia, I find I must change how I speak to her. My whole life I have had to walk on eggs, practice deception and out right lie to keep my mother calm. Now I find that the less I say the better. I don't know how long this will work, but now I just say, "you're ok. Everything is fine. We took care of that." Has anyone else experienced this? What's next?