How to Communicate Better.
I recently got an email from a young man who commented
that he was having trouble talking with his grandmother. He loved her so much
and missed the talks they used to have. He said his grandmother was diagnosed
with having small strokes.
It may be that this special grandmother has memory as well as speech and language difficulties. It might be advisable to consult a speech-language pathologist (SLP) for an evaluation. The SLP could determine the specific issues that are causing the communication problem and make specific recommendations for therapy and/or family training.
Tips when communicating:
•
Reduce background noises that may be distracting.
•
Talk about familiar subjects such as family members and special interests.
•
Keep your sentences short.
•
Allow extra time for a response.
•
Give the person a chance to reminisce.
•
If the person wears a hearing aid, make sure it is in working order.
•
Even if the communication is difficult, a gentle touch lets that person know you care.
Be patient. Let her know how much you care about her.
