● Keep a premade form to record the customer’s responses and give them the form at the end of the session as you review what happened during the session. Require that the customer sign or initial the form when he or she agrees it is accurate. Keep a copy, and give the customer and family members copies. ● Begin all new meetings by going over what happened at the previous meeting, and review details of any signed or initialed forms from the previous meeting. Seniors with different physical difficulties and their advocates and caregivers offer many suggestions for better communication. If your customer is hearing-impaired, shows Hearing loss About one-third of people between the ages of 65 and 74 and nearly half of those ages 75 and older have hearing loss. This hearing loss could be due to heredity, changes in the ear due to aging, exposure to loud noises, certain medications, and health conditions such as strokes. Most age-related hearing loss increases with time. Family members are often the first to notice a relative’s hearing loss. Sometimes the senior citizen will not admit the problem, refusing to wear a hearing aid or taking other steps to maximize his or her remaining hearing. Meanwhile, the provider or agent (and even family members) may think that an elderly customer is confused, uncooperative, or uninterested; in reality, he or she may not be able to hear what is being said. People who don’t want to reveal a hearing impairment may nod and pretend they understand. Print information in large type or write it clearly by hand as you talk; be sure you give the person copies in writing of whatever is discussed. The severity of hearing loss ranges from missing certain sounds to complete deafness. Some hearing-impaired people have difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds; others can’t hear low tones. Gauge what is the right pitch for the customer. If you as the provider or agent speak in a very low or high voice, consider asking another agent with a differently pitched voice to take over the session. It is important not to assume that the family will explain the information to the senior later. Additionally, individuals who wear hearing aids hear some sounds very loudly but may have trouble hearing ambient noises in the room. Sometimes hearing-impaired individuals hear ringing or Visual impairment Many elderly people suffer loss of sight due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024), almost 20 million Americans are affected by AMD. Of those affected, 1.49 million Americans are in the late stages of the disease. Symptoms manifest themselves in different ways, varying in form and degree of severity. Sometimes referred to as “legal blindness” or “low vision,” it can result in an inability to see detail or read without assistive technology. If the client repeatedly “does not have her glasses with her,” for example, she may be providing this as an excuse, rather than explaining her degree of disability. Some strategies to help persons with vision loss understand what is being said are: ● Ask how you can help. Cognitive impairments Cognitive impairment is often the greatest worry one may have when working with senior citizens. Some seniors will face declining cognition in the form of dementia, which is a decline in mental ability that impedes normal functioning. Compounding this difficulty, the family may not know (or may not want to admit) that the family member is impaired.
cognitive difficulties, or is experiencing other physical or mental problems: ● Ask the affected persons what helps them understand and communicate; ● Stay patient and relaxed; and ● Request, if appropriate, that other people attend your meetings, such as family members, trusted friends, advisors, clergypersons, or attorneys. You are very likely to come in contact with individuals who have hearing or vision loss. The following sections provide helpful hints for working with these individuals. hissing noises in the background. Written contracts, even if not required by the state, ensure that a deaf or a hard-of- hearing person can understand and see what he or she is signing. Some strategies to help persons with hearing loss understand what is being said are: ● Speak to the person with hearing loss himself or herself, not to the others in the room. ● Ask the person if he or she has a better ear and sit on that side. ● If someone cannot hear, repeat information clearly and slowly. Don’t shout. Enunciate. Keep sentence speed the same throughout the sentence. Utter the ends of sentences clearly, and keep the pitch the same. ● Arrange the participants in the room so the hearing- impaired customer can see everybody. Don’t turn away from the person you are addressing. Do not speak when your head is turned away or if you are coming into or going out of a room. If you do say something when you are not facing the customer, repeat the statement when you are looking at him or her again. Some hard- of-hearing people recommend touching the person lightly on the shoulder, hand, or arm to attract his or her attention before speaking. ● Do not eat or chew gum while speaking. ● Hold meetings where there is good lighting. ● Minimize background noise. ● Use facial expressions or gestures to give useful clues. ● Reword what you have said, if needed, to clarify. ● Warn visually disabled consumers about steps or other hazards in front of them. ● Speak in a natural tone. ● Do not speak through a third party; they do not need a translator. ● Describe the room layout and where everyone is in the room. ● Identify yourself and everyone in the room. ● Always address the person and others in the room by name. ● Say when you are leaving the room. ● Indicate when the meeting is at an end. ● Allow the person to take your arm for guidance (do not forcefully guide them).
● Reversible dementia : About 10% of dementias stem from untreatable conditions or from medications. An underactive thyroid or vitamin B12 deficiency, for example, can cause symptoms of dementia. Some medications (narcotic pain medications, muscle relaxants) or mixtures of medications can cause
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