NATIVE ELDER CAREGIVER CURRICULUM NECC: 1.3 ADAPTATION & COMMUNICATION Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills related to Sensory Systems 1 Caring for Our Elders: Adaptation & Communication Skills 1.3

Adaptation & Communication  Importance of Adaptation  Safety is improved Injuries are prevented  Independence is maintained Self-care is maximized  Social roles & connections are better maintained  Family & caregivers “worry” less Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 2

Important to “Check it Out!”  Just because someone is an elderly, does not always mean that the loss of hearing, vision, or other sensory perceptions are “normal”  Many changes in vision, hearing, touch, etc. are related to illness Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 3

Sensory Deficits: Check it Out!  Important to “check it out”  Find out if there is an underlying problem that is causing sensory deficits !  Some problems are totally reversible with proper medical treatment ! Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 4

Adaptation & Communication  Vision  Clinic exam right away for symptoms such as: Burning, pain, headaches Blurry vision, double vision, spots, redness, “runny eye” Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 5

Adaptation & Communication Vision  Prevention & Maintenance  Yearly eye exams  Regular updates in eyeglasses Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 6

Adaptation & Communication: VISION  Some Helpful ways to assist people with visual impairments: prevent glare  Use several softer lights instead of one big glaring light  Offer sunglasses or a hat or visor for use when outdoors Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 7

Adaptation & Communication: VISION …  Place sheer curtains over windows to prevent glare  Try to use bright colors to make it easier to see & identify things Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 8

Adaptation & Communication: VISION …  Use contrasting colors for steps, changes in floor levels, doorways  Place things to be used within the elder’s visual field Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 9

Adaptation & Communication: VISION  If a magnifying glass works, keep one handy for reading  Read for the elder  Play the radio or music for the elder  Offer Large Print magazines & books  Offer books with brightly colored pictures Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 10

Adaptation & Communication: VISION  Helpful Ways to assist elderly people who are blind:  Talk to them so they know where you are when you are in the room  Touch their arm gently to let them know your location when sitting near them Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 11

Adaptation & Communication: VISION  Helpful ways to assist with blindness...  Keep commonly used items in the same place & close to the elder’s reach  Encourage & teach the elder how to find these items independently by touch  Describe things to the elder, such as the food on a plate they are eating Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 12

Adaptation & Communication: HEARING  Helpful ways to help communication with the elderly who have a hearing impairment: Try to eliminate or reduce noise!  Face the elder so they can see your lips & facial expressions  Speak clearly, slowly, & distinctly Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 13

Adaptation & Communication: HEARING  Helpful ways to assist with hearing...  If the hearing is not equal in both ears, speak directly into the stronger ear  Use gestures to point to things while speaking  Encourage the elder to point to things they need Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 14

Adaptation & Communication: HEARING  Encourage the elder to have an expert hearing exam to see if a hearing aid would help Not all hearing problems can be resolved by a hearing aid… need evaluation Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 15

Adaptation & Communication: HEARING  If an elder has a hearing aid, encourage its use Be sure the hearing aid is fitted for comfort Teach the elder how to use it in the most effective way Be sure the batteries are working Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 16

Adaptation & Communication: HEARING  Repeat what was said if the elder requests you to say something again  Try to re-state what was said in a different way, using different words Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 17

Adaptation & Communication: HEARING  Use a lower tone of voice  Many elders can normally hear lower pitched sounds better than high-pitched sounds  Shouting does not help! Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 18

Adaptation & Communication: HEARING  Be as respectful & patient as possible  It is very difficult sometimes to communicate… …and it is very hard on the elder who might give up if caregivers or other people get annoyed Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 19

Adaptation & Communication: HEARING  Write things down if the person is “just not getting” what you are trying to say  Use flash cards for familiar & commonly used requests  Can easily make up a “set” of common terms with words & pictures Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 20

Adaptation & Communication: HEARING  Keep a pad of paper and “bold colored” markers next to the elder for visiting  Validate if elder is really understanding what is being said  If not, repeat and / or write down what was said Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 21

Adaptation & Communication: HEARING Caring for Our Elders: 1.3 Adaptation & Communication Skills 22  Use a stethoscope if you have one!  Have the elder wear the stethoscope in the ears  Then… the caregiver can talk into the round flat piece (diaphragm) to amplify the voice

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