• Information and communication are not the same. II.

EXTERNAL:
A. Environmental Noise
INFORMATION - “What” we share B. Language: Misunderstanding of terms, Use of Idioms/Slang/Use
of Elderspeak

COMMUNICATION - “How” we share it. • Build Trust & Respect

• Use appropriate skills, techniques & strategies for Effective
• When interacting with older people, it is important to be sensitive Communication with Persons with Vision, Hearing, Cognitive and
to how they prefer to communicate, learn and use information. Speech-Language Impairments
• Remember, the way you communicate and learn may NOT be the
same as people from a different generation. AVOIDING ELDERSPEAK
▪ ELDERSPEAK: include terms of endearment such as:
SAGE ADVICE - Honey
S is for SIMPLIFY. - Dearie
▪ Instead of technical or medical terms, use simple words that older - Sweetie
people are likely to be familiar with and understand.
o tag questions that prompt older adults to respond as the
A is for ASSURE. younger person wishes
▪ Don’t assume all older people are deaf, dumb, or blind.
▪ Assure them they matter by communicating with kindness and ▪ Examples:
involving them in the conversation. o “You’re ready for lunch now, aren’t you?” (Controlling and not
a real question)
G is for GIVE information. o “Honey, you can do this, and be a good girl (terms of
▪ Help older people make informed decisions by sharing information endearment)
in the way they prefer. o “Let’s go take our bath now” (inappropriate)
▪ Writing or demonstrating something can be helpful.

E is for EASE into it. PAY ATTENTION TO THE NON-VERBAL

▪ Avoid sharing too much, too quick. ▪ 7 % - of the meaning we glean is communicated through the
▪ Unfamiliar situations can be overwhelming, so slow down and allow spoken words (verbal)
people time to process the information. ▪ 38% - is communicated through how the words are spoken, the
tone & inflection of voice (verbal)
A is for ACKNOWLEDGE. ▪ 55% - comes from facial expression & body language (non-verbal)
▪ Instead of overlooking older people, recognize, engage, and listen to
them.
PARTNERING COMMUNICATION
D is for DISCOVERY. 1) Tell the patient your name, your role as you sits at eye level
▪ Just because someone nods their head doesn’t mean they 2) Ask the patient his/her priorities for the day so you can assist her
understand you. in meeting these goals
▪ Ask older people questions to see if they truly comprehend. 3) Let the patient know what your practice needs are during your
shift & look at integrating your needs & patient’s needs for the day
V is for VALUE. 4) Put your name, contact no. & partnered goals on the whiteboard or
▪ Avoid using overly friendly terms and baby talk.
other visible area
▪ Instead, respect older people by using their proper name such as Mr.
5) Continue with the five Ps:
Smith.
a. You did Partnering already
b. Ask about restroom needs-Potty
I is for INDIVIDUALIZE. c. Obtain an assessment on Pain
▪ Acknowledge language barriers and be sensitive to one’s values, d. Make Positioning adjustments
cultural beliefs and changes associated with natural aging. e. Check the Pump(s) to reduce potential noise distractions
C is for COMMUNICATE. 6) Address Pain or your first assessment of the day and do both soon
▪ Avoid telling people what to do. 7) Before leaving, ask if there is anything he or she needs before you
▪ Instead, focus on what is most important for them to know and
leave to finish your regular rounds
consider.
▪ Make sure they understand what is required of them.
USE PERSON-FIRST LANGUAGE
E is for EMPATHIZE.
▪ Try to understand a situation from the older person’s perspective. ▪ It stresses a person as an individual who has some condition or a
▪ Watch for feedback and cues to guide communication and disease instead a condition or a disease as a defining factor of the
information sharing. individual
▪ Be sensitive to the situation, potential challenges and needs.
▪ Example:
o Say or write “a person with dementia’ instead of a “demented
patient’; “person with hearing loss” instead of “a hearing-
BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION impaired person”
I. INTERNAL:
A. Cognition & Brain Function
B. Physical / Pathological Deficits INCLUDE THE PATIENT
1. Dementia – Alzheimer’s Disease
▪ Include the patient in the conversation. If the conversations are
2. Parkinson’s Disease
taking place with the patient in the room, speak as though the
3. Abnormal Changes in Vision & Hearing
person can understand you. Do not say something hurtful or
embarrassing

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 ▪ Example:
o She does not remember anything anymore
SPEAK SLOWER & PAUSE BETWEEN PHRASES
▪ This will allow nurses to speak more clearly, provide distinct
separation of words for better comprehension
▪ Pausing will allow older adults to process and respond
ELIMINATE OR MINIMIZE BACKGROUND MUSIC
▪ Additional sounds compete with speech sounds
▪ Music, TV, and other conversations make it more difficult to attend
to the conversation at hand
LIMIT THE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS
▪ Because older adults are slower to process & respond to
information, limit the number of people speaking

PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TIME FOR THE PERSON TO RESPOND

▪ After asking a question or making a comment that you expect a
response to wait 5 to 10 seconds for a response
▪ With or without pathological conditions, providing time will allow
the patient to process what was said, plan what to say & provide
either oral or written response
SIMPLIFY VOCABULARY AND AVOID JARGON
▪ Use language that is easy to understand, refrain from using slang or
medical jargon
▪ Watch closely if the person understands what you are saying. If you
think he does not understand, or if he tells you he did not
understand, rephrase your statements
POSITION YOURSELF IN THE PERSON’S DIRECT LINE OF VISION
▪ This will let the patient know that you are engaging in
communication with him/her
▪ Provides visual information. It will allow him/her to tune into non-
verbal communication
▪ Keep in mind too that adequate lighting is important especially to
those with vision issues
USE GESTURES TO AID IN COMMUNICATION
▪ Pointing & demonstrating actions may aid understanding and
clarifying of the message

SAY NAMES
USE SHORT, DIRECT, CLEAR PHRASES ▪ Say the person’s name before providing instructions to get
▪ Do not use complex sentences & use respectful language his/her attention.
▪ Limit instructions to one or 2 steps at a time ▪ If memory is an issue, state your name as you enter the room so
▪ Summarize what has been said & guide the person back to the that the person does not have to guess who you are.
conversation ▪ Use proper names instead of pronouns

USE APPROPRIATE TOUCH TO COMMUNICATE ENSURE ANY ASSISTIVE DEVICES ARE ON AND WORKING
▪ Some patients may have difficulty with attention & alertness due to ▪ Hearing aids and assistive listening devices, eyeglasses must be
cognitive issues, medication side effects & medical health accessible and must be put on before speaking
problems, gently touch the person on hand, shoulder, arm or leg to
gain his attention
▪ If you start speaking when the person is not attending, you will
likely have to repeat your message

SPEAK IN THE DIRECTION OF THE PERSON

▪ Make sure you are looking at the individual
▪ Be in the same room

SPEAK TO THE EAR WITH LESS OR NO HEARING LOSS

▪ Look into the patient’s chart for information about his hearing
▪ If one ear has better hearing, position yourself so that you are
speaking in the direction of that ear

WRITE OUT INFORMATION

▪ If the patient does not understand you, write down key words,
phrases, or sentences so that the person can read the information

PROVIDE WRITTEN INFORMATION IN LARGE, EASY-TO-READ PRINT

▪ Make sure that test is easy-to-read and in large font
▪ Stick to high contrasting colors (black ink on white paper). Avoid
using blue and green ink

REQUEST CLARIFICATION
▪ Ask question that will help clarify

ENCOURAGE USE OF CLUES

▪ Encourage the patient to provide clues if they struggle to find the
words he wants to say. You may suggest that they describe
appearance, function, and location

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