Communication can be tough at times for anyone. When people get older, they may know what they want to say. However, communicating with younger generations might become more difficult. Your elderly loved one may also lose their memory which can also make communication much more difficult. There are, however, some ways to help the elderly to communicate better.
Have Patience and Empathy
There are two very important things that your elderly loved one needs from you and their elder care providers when it comes to communication – those things are patience and empathy. First of all, your elderly loved one may not remember everything from the past. They may need some time to remember certain things, so having patience with them can go a long way. In addition, empathizing with elderly loved one might encourage them to be more open with you. They will see that you are showing understanding.
Be Simple
Whenever you are talking to your elderly loved one, make sure you use simple terms and sentences. This does not mean you can’t have complex conversations with your elderly loved one. It just means that you should try not to use long words. You should also try to only speak a couple of sentences and then let your elderly loved one speak. This will allow them to better keep up with the conversation and allow them to respond better, too.
Involve Them
When you are making plans for your elderly loved one, it is important to include them, if possible. The more you and elder care providers leave your elderly loved one out of plans, the more problems there will likely be during those plans. Your elderly loved one will likely do better when going to the store or when going on a trip with you if they know what is going on ahead of time. Communicating about all of this might seem difficult. However, it can help to have multiple conversations with your elderly loved one. For example, if you are going to take them on a trip this winter, you may want to start by talking to them about when it is happening. You can talk about where you are going or what they will be doing at different times.
Conclusion
There might be some struggles when your elderly loved one is trying to communicate with your or their elder care providers. You might find it tough to talk to them, as well. However, if you can follow the tips that are noted here today, hopefully, you can help your elderly loved one to communicate better with you and you can communicate better with them, as well.
If you or an aging loved one is considering elder care in Hillsborough, FL , please contact the caring staff at R.B. Home Health Services, Inc today. 305-220-6309
Sources
https://www.aafp.org/fpm/2006/0900/p73.html