VISITING ANGELS WHITE PLAINS, NY 914-696-4200
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How to Communicate with a Senior Who Can’t Speak in Westchester County, NY

Communication problems can become more common with age. Some seniors experience communication difficulty because of impaired hearing, neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, or the effects of brain injuries such as a stroke. In some extreme cases, older adults may even lose the ability to speak entirely.

Understandably, communication obstacles can be frustrating for caregivers and visitors as well as your elderly loved one. When you learn to effectively connect with a senior who has a communication impairment, you can reduce frustration and bring back the joy of being together and enjoying one another’s company.

What Causes Communication Problems in Seniors?

Although answering someone’s greeting or question seems like an effortless process, your brain has to perform some steps before you can respond:

• First, you have to hear, remember, and understand the words.

• Next, you have to consider a reply, find the words, and form them into a sentence.

• Finally, you have to tell your muscles how to move and then speak the sentence.

An impediment to one or more of these steps can cause speech problems or take away a person’s ability to speak altogether. Many conditions can cause these impediments. Two of the most common include:

Aphasia: a condition characterized by the inability to understand language or put a sentence together because of brain damage.

Dysarthria: a condition characterized by slurred or difficult-to comprehend speech because of impaired control over the muscles used to talk.

Both of these conditions are common after a stroke and add to the challenge of caring for a senior who has had a stroke.

Five Strategies for More Effective Communication

Although speech problems in elderly adults can make communicating difficult, some of the following strategies can improve the process:

Respect: Keep talking to your loved one and don’t make them feel excluded from conversations happening around them. Because seniors with speech problems are vulnerable, it is also very important to recognize the signs of elder abuse.

Practice: Provide support when needed but avoid speaking for them or finishing their sentences. Also, consider asking your loved one’s doctor if speech and language therapy is needed. If so, go along with them to appointments and learn from the therapist how you can best help.

Patience: Make sure you stick to one topic at a time, and both of you are on the same page. Confirm your loved one means “yes” or “no” with a thumbs-up or thumbs-down gesture. If you have to change the conversation topic, let them know you’re going to start talking about something else and wait until they acknowledge before switching topics. And always take time to listen to what your loved one is saying.

Touch: While it can be difficult to have a one-sided conversation with a loved one, talking to them while brushing their hair, applying lotion, or simply holding hands can make the interaction feel more natural. Always let your loved one know you’re going to touch them and do so gently without sudden movement. Also, pay close attention to their body language: if your loved one pulls away or draws back, it’s probably best to refrain from physical contact.

Music: Consider what tunes your loved one enjoys listening to and play those songs for them. Show your loved one you enjoy being together by playing uplifting music.

We offer a free, no-obligation care assessment to help you get started with us. This initial meeting will allow us to learn more about your loved one's unique situation and discuss how our services can help.

Call Visiting Angels White Plains today at (914) 696-4200 for more information about our in home care in Westchester County, NY.

Serving Westchester County

Visiting Angels WHITE PLAINS, NY
4 W Red Oak Ln #112
White Plains, NY 10604
Phone: 914-696-4200
Fax: 914-696-4201

Serving Westchester County

Visiting Angels WHITE PLAINS, NY
4 W Red Oak Ln #112
White Plains, NY 10604
Phone: 914-696-4200
Fax: 914-696-4201