Enhancing communication with older adults: overcoming elderspeak.
Gerontological nurses promote health and successful aging for a growing population of older adults. Care providers unknowingly may communicate messages of dependence, incompetence, and control to older adults by using elderspeak, a speech style similar to baby talk, that fails to communicate appropriate respect. This article describes a communication training program that significantly reduced the use of elderspeak by nursing assistants and led t more respectful, less controlling, and equally as caring communication between nursing assistants and nursing home residents. Strategies to use in evaluating and enhancing interpersonal communication with older clients are provided. Therapeutic communication is a critical tool for nurses who provide health care to the growing populati of older adults.
Williams
Kristine
K
University of Kansas School of Nursing, Kansas City 66160, USA.
Kemper
Susan
S
Hummert
Mary Lee
ML
D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003142:Communication; D003479:Curriculum; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004644:Emotions; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007615:Kansas; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009728:Nursing Assistants / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D011287:Prejudice; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012660:Semantics; D012951:Socialization; D014705:Verbal Behavior