Communicating with Older Adults

Question 1

Define Ageism

Answer 1

a term used to describe prejudice expressed toward older adults through attitudes and behaviour, it is found across cultures

Question 2

Define elderspeak

Answer 2

a form of ageism in which younger people alter their speech based on the assumption that all older adults have difficulty understanding and comprehending

Question 3

What are the characteristics of elderspeak

Answer 3

speaking slowly or loudly or both
using a sing-song voice
using pronouns “we”, “us” etc. in place of you
using pet names
answering questions for the older adult

Question 4

Define sensorineural hearing loss

Answer 4

damage to inner ear or neural pathways. Presbycusis, which is related to aging, is the most common form of hearing loss

Question 5

Define conductive hearing loss

Answer 5

usually involves abnormalities of the external and middle ear that reduce the ability of sound to be transmitted to or through the inner ear

Question 6

Describe cerumen impaction

Answer 6

build up of ear wax that makes it harder to hear

-those that wear hearing aides and older men with large amounts of hair in their ears are at a higher risk

Question 7

What are the major causes of vision impairment and blindness among older adults?

Answer 7

-cataracts
-macular degeneration
-glaucoma
-diabetic retinopathy

Question 8

What score on the Snellen chart is needed for a vision impairment classification?

Answer 8

worse than a 20/40 but better than 20/200

Question 9

Define anomia

Answer 9

word retrieval difficulties during spontaneous speech and naming tasks

Question 10

Define dysarthria

Answer 10

impairment in the ability to articulate words as the result of damage to the central or peripheral nervous system that affects the speech mechanism

Question 11

What are the 3 major categories that impaired verbal communication occurs in after neurological disturbance?

Answer 11

-reception
-perception
-articulation

Question 12

Define aphasia

Answer 12

loss of the ability to express and understand spoken and written language

Question 13

Define apraxia

Answer 13

an impairment in the ability to manipulate objects or perform purposeful acts, including the ability to speak

Question 14

Define dysarthria

Answer 14

a speech disorder caused by weakness or incoordination of the muscles used for speech

Question 15

Define life review

Answer 15

a critical analysis of a person’s past life, with the goal of facilitating integrity

Question 16

What are the two forms of hearing loss?

Answer 16

conductive and sensorineural hearing loss

Question 17

Define conductive hearing loss

Answer 17

external and middle-ear abnormalities that reduce the transmission of sound to the middle ear

Question 18

Define sensorineural hearing loss

Answer 18

damage to any part of the inner ear or the neural pathways to the brain

Question 19

What can cause conductive hearing loss?

Answer 19

otosclerosis, infection, perforated eardrum, fluid in the middle ear or cerumen accumulation

Question 20

Define presbycusis

Answer 20

a form of sensorineural hearing loss that is related to aging– it is the most common form of hearing loss in Canada

Question 21

What is used to treat sensorineural hearing loss?

Answer 21

hearing aids and cochlear implants

Question 22

Define cerumen

Answer 22

ear wax

those at particular risk are those that wear hearing aids and those that have ear hair

Question 23

What are the major causes of visual impairment and blindness among older persons?

Answer 23

cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy

Question 24

Define visual impairment

Answer 24

low vision– a Snellen reading of worse than 20/40 but better than 20/200

Question 25

What are the three major categories of impaired verbal communication arise from neurological disturbances?

Answer 25

1) reception– anxiety, hearing deficits, etc.
2) perception– stroke, dementia, etc.
3) articulation– dysarthria, respiratory disease

Question 26

Define Wernicke’s aphasia

Answer 26

the result of a lesion in the superior temporal gyrus that causes the patient to speak easily but the content does not make sense

Question 27

Define Broca’s aphasia

Answer 27

damage to the posteroinferior portions of the dominant frontal lobe that causes the patient to understand others but not be able to articulate their own words, or they go very slow with a struggle

Question 28

Define verbal apraxia

Answer 28

a motor speech disorder that affects the ability to plan and sequence voluntary muscle movements– the muscles of speech are not paralyzed, there is a disruption in the brain’s transmission of signals to the muscles

when they plan to say a sentence the words don’t come out correct or at all, but when they don’t plan the sentence comes out fine

Question 29

Define anomic or nominal aphasia

Answer 29

lesions of the dominant temporoparietal regions of the brain that leads to the person being able to understand and speak but unable to find the right words or they leave out crucial content words

Question 30

Define global aphasia

Answer 30

the person can’t understand words or speak intelligibly (sometimes using meaningless syllables repeatedly– the result of large left-hemisphere lesions

Question 31

Define dysarthria

Answer 31

a speech disorder caused by poor coordination or weakness of the speech muscles– occurs as a result of central or peripheral neuromuscular disorders that interfere with pronunciation and with the clarity of speech

Question 32

What are some strategies for communicating with individuals experiencing cognitive impairment?

Answer 32

-give one-step directions
-speak slowly
-allow time for a response
-reduce distractions
-interact with one person at a time
-be aware of your nonverbal communication
-give clues and cues and use gestures

Question 33

What is a life review?

Answer 33

a process that older person at the end of their life will go through in which death creates a resurgence of unresolved conflicts