- January 22, 2025
With age, many patients develop aphasia, weakness of the muscles or respiratory system, which results in unclear or incomprehensible pronunciation. The work of an elderly carer can be problematic when speech disorders occur in the client's caregiver. However, it is enough to follow a few tips to make communication with the seniors much easier.
Speech disorders in old age are most often caused by brain damage. We are talking about aphasia, i.e. a situation in which the speech organ remains in good shape and the problems with communication come from disorders of the central nervous system. There are two main types of aphasia: Brocki and Wernicke. Brocki's speech disorder occurs when the client understands all the words spoken in his direction, but is not able to communicate with his surroundings. This type of disease is most often caused by damage to the frontal lobe, e.g. as a result of a stroke. Wernicki's aphasia is a condition caused by changes in the temporal lobe, in which the patient correctly expresses any messages, but does not understand the instructions given to him.
Patience and empathy are essential to communicate with clients with speech impairments. In most patients the symptoms increase in stress, so it is important to show understanding and kindness when talking. Another essential element is visual contact, which makes it much easier to understand the messages being conveyed. A good caregiver will be able to understand the non-verbal signals sent to her by the client, which basically allows communication without words.
When talking to a seniors suffering from aphasia, it is advisable to use the simplest possible sentences contained in a short form. When asking questions, it is best to use a form of 'yes' or 'no' which the client can express with a nod or blink of an eye. In addition, it is worth supplementing the statement with gestures, which will make it easier for the elderly person to understand our intentions.
Communicating with people with aphasia requires the caregiver to focus on the client. It can be helpful to eliminate from the environment all stimuli that can distract seniors and sources of noise that make communication difficult. Often, after the first failures between the mentor and the client, a unique way of communication is created, which consists of a mix of spoken language, writing, gestures and pictures.
Elderly carers should learn to communicate by means of short, understandable messages. During the conversation it is better to choose closed questions, which the client can answer with a nod or an easy gesture. When communicating with the seniors, minimize potential sources of noise that may drown out the words spoken by the elderly person. Guests with weakened respiratory muscles speak very quietly, so it is worth paying attention to the movement of their lips, which makes it much easier to understand the spoken words.
