5. Ability to focus attention : The last change to consider is that seniors’ ability to focus decreases, as does their ability to tune out distractions. Take breaks to allow the senior to regroup. If the provider is meeting at the Developmental tasks Every life stage brings with it a specific set of developmental tasks. As a society, we often are aware of the stages that people at other ages experience. For instance, toddlers and preschoolers need parental security, but they are also developing a separate identity. Teenagers face difficulties asserting their independence. In early adulthood, individuals may struggle balancing parenting and earning an income. Parents have ample resources to help them understand and appropriately respond to their children’s developmental stages. Many self-help books offer reassurance and guidance, describing the challenges of early and middle adulthood or retirement. We are less familiar with the tasks of old age. One would not be overly surprised at a toddler throwing a tantrum; a senior citizen whose actions reflects his or her developmental tasks, however, may be subject to impatience or condescension. Others may attribute the behavior to dementia. The main task of old age, according to psychologist Erik Erikson, is to look over one’s whole life and ask, “What kind of life have I lived?” Those who can look back with gladness, forgiveness, and self-respect are able to develop a new sense of integrity and are ready for whatever comes next in life or death. Someone who concludes that his or her life was not well-lived is susceptible to despair. Planning for one’s own funeral often forces a person to confront these issues. Senior citizens also face issues of retaining and relinquishing control. The expertise of the funeral provider Uncoupling Uncoupling refers to suddenly stopping a conversation. It is linked to both a desire to maintain control and a diminishment of cognitive flexibility. Imagine a provider or an agent suggesting a particular funeral package to a potential customer. The customer feels that the agent is Principles of clear communication When speaking to an elderly or impaired client, keep questions specific, direct, and clear. Ask questions in a logical order; don’t combine many related questions in one sentence. Instead, ask one question at a time and clarify each answer before moving on. Make sure the client understands the context of the questions and your reasons for asking them so he or she can provide the most specific, relevant information. Evasive, vague, or incomplete responses to sensitive questions can be common and should be reviewed, and then clarified, as delicately as possible. Questions should be phrased in a neutral or an unbiased way to avoid “leading” the client in a particular direction. Seemingly minor wording differences can encourage wildly different responses from clients. Examine phrasing to avoid any language that might cue the customer to respond in a particular way, such as suggesting by your words or tone that one answer versus another is right, wrong, or preferred in any way. For example, “Would you like more information about our alternative containers?” is better wording than, “You’re not interested in alternative containers, are you?” The second question is more likely to skew the customer’s response because it suggests that the provider expects or wishes the answer to be, “No, I’m not.” A provider or agent must give full attention and apply the principles of active listening to increase the accuracy and reliability of shared information. Active listening includes, first and foremost, listening: no mind wandering, no
funeral home, it is important to ensure that planning rooms are well insulated from outside noise and motion and are not over-decorated.
or agent consists in knowing and understanding the fine details of the options and explaining them to the customer, being clear as to the costs involved. The customer is the one who will compare the choices and make the final decisions. Conversations may show these characteristics: ● A lack of urgency : Even though some seniors may make decisions quickly and hastily, others feel no need to settle matters immediately. Remember this if a senior citizen begins to reminisce or bring up recent events. Also, if an elderly person comes in for a preplanning session with his or her family members, be aware that they may become impatient with the senior. Be prepared to be a presence who defuses the family’s annoyance by showing interest in what the senior is saying: Be an advocate for his or her legitimacy as a person. Then, direct the discussion back to the topic of the funeral planning. ● Nonlinear thinking, repetition, and focus on small details : When an elderly person wanders from topic to topic, transitions abruptly between topics, or repeats the same story over and over, use principles of active listening (repeating the topic you are discussing and what you heard the clients say about it) to return to the topic at hand. Give the consumer the benefit of the doubt: Sometimes these reminiscences are not non-sequiturs but have relevance to the funeral arrangements. being pushy, trying to make the decision for him or her. Furthermore, the potential customer is confused by some aspects of the package. Feeling overwhelmed, the customer says he or she is no longer interested and gets up to leave. How should the provider or agent respond? preconceptions about the customer that affect what the provider hears him or her saying. At the same time, listen to what he or she doesn’t say as well as to his or her body language. For example, if a customer claims to understand a concept but looks confused, go over the concept again in different words. If he or she looks evasive when answering a question, gently ask for more information. If the person looks at his or her watch often and glances at the door, review what has been discussed so far and ask when another appointment would be convenient. Give the customer adequate time to contemplate the question and consider an answer. Never interrupt or rush a response. After the individual has finished, restate the comments to confirm that what the customer said was interpreted correctly. If necessary, identify areas in which the customer’s intended message or meaning and your understanding or interpretation of it differ. Get clarification. At times, summarize all that you have heard, reviewing the most significant points and relevant implications. These implications are especially important for senior citizens because they might not realize them. It is vital to do the following: ● Provide information and questions in writing. ● Restate the customer’s responses to confirm that they are understood.
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