How To Positively Communicate with Seniors

Speak Clearly:

Almost 30% of people older than the age of 65 have some sort of hearing loss. With that in mine, the first step is to be sure to speak a little louder, a little slower, but make sure not to “over-do” either because your tone of voice may come off as condescending. Instead, use a gentle and calming voice and keep sentences short and simple. Your voice is a powerful tool. Use it with a reassuring, yet bold tone, this method tend to genuinely engage people to actively follow and be interested in what you have to say.

Your Environment:

Do your best to remove any distractions, such as background noise from a tv or radio. Close any windows or doors if you can hear traffic obstructing your conversation. Try to be face to face and at a similar level, without giving the other person a feeling that this is an interrogation. This is true since peripheral vision is more limited, and typically may have trouble understanding what you’re saying if they can’t see you well. Being at their same level, such as sitting if they are in a wheelchair, will be less threatening to them, and gives the nonverbal cue that you are engaged and listening in to what they have to say.

Humor: 

Laughter is powerful speaking tactic, as well as a medicine. Humor helps to build trust faster, and is able to diffuse a lot of uncomfortable situations. So go ahead, use your best knock knock joke.

Listen, then speak :

Try your best not to interrupt the other person while they are speaking, or fill in moments of silence just because you believe that they may be thinking about what was just said. They may be thinking of a proper response, and give them some time to do so. Also, if you are working with anyone who has some any sort of cognitive impairment, such as Alzheimer’s or dementia, you may notice they tell you the same story on multiple occasions. While this may be “boring”, this is a strong indicator that this is a memory which has significance for them. So be a good listener, and let them tell you again and just listen as if it’s the first time. Listening is key to having a person open up to you, build trust for you, and when you speak, they are more inclined to now hear what you have to say. 

Reminiscence Therapy:

Reminiscing helps the elderly recall memories from their past, and promotes a sense of belonging and feeling valued. This is extremely important to many elders, the feeling of value and attention can greatly impact your trust with them. It can also help maintain thorough communication skills and imparts wisdom, skills and information. So while you could find that they may not remember who the current president is, they will most likely remember certain memories from their distant past. Some easy ways to trigger this might be to simply ask them where they grew up, or what kind of jobs they held. 

Now for the final and most impactful suggestion, always carry a warm smile and a sincere Hello! According to Forbes, within the first seven seconds of meeting, people will have a solid impression of who you are — and some research suggests a tenth of a second is all it takes to start determining traits like trustworthiness.