Senior Care in Huntington NY: Are You and Your Elderly Loved One Having Communication Problems?
Sometimes as a caregiver you find that you may go through phases with your elderly loved one when it seems that you just can’t communicate well with each other. If that’s the case for you, try some of these ideas.
Practice Active Listening
Active listening is a technique that involves restating for your loved one what she’s saying. That helps both of you to see right away that you’re listening and understanding what she’s saying. Active listening also helps your loved one to feel validated.
Really Focus When You and Your Loved One Are Talking
As a busy caregiver, you’re likely dealing with way too many tasks at one time. That means that you might often be catching up on tasks that require full attention and yet you want to give your loved one attention, too. One solution could be to lighten your own task load by asking for help from other family members and considering hiring senior care providers. This can reduce your load so that you can focus on your loved one.
Speak Clearly and Distinctly
It’s not uncommon for family caregivers to say one thing and their loved ones to hear something completely different. Practice speaking as clearly and as distinctly as you can when you’re talking to your loved one. This is especially important if she has any sort of hearing impairment at all.
Give Your Loved One Time to Respond
Some elderly loved ones hear just fine, but they need a moment or two longer than they used to need in order to respond. Giving your loved one those few extra seconds allows them to have the conversation at their own pace. If you’re in a hurry, your loved one might shut down.
Pay Attention to What Your Loved One Isn’t Saying, Too
Body language can tell you a lot more about what your loved one isn’t saying in words. Pay attention to non-verbal cues that can let you know if she’s in pain or otherwise having an issue. Spotting these signs can help you solve a problem for your loved one before it becomes too large.
If you’re still having trouble, sit down with your loved one and sort out what is causing the problem.
If you or an aging family member are considering hiring senior care services in Huntington, NY, please call the caring staff at A Gentle Touch Senior Home and Health Care at 631-647-7622 today.