Intergenerational communication: fundamental but under-exploited theory for speech and language therapy with older...

There is a body of research literature already applied in speech and language therapy practice that is concerned with communication between children and adults and the adaptations adults make to facilitate the development of language in children. There is much less and more recent literature concerned with intergenerational communication involving older people and older people in institutional care. This has not yet impacted on speech and language therapy practice, especially in the area of training others. The aims of this paper are (1) to describe some of the main theoretical concepts associated with intergenerational communication, (2) to present the results from a study of the opinions about and experiences of intergenerational communication in which children, community- based older women and professional carers of older people were included and (3) to discuss the implications for speech and language therapy practice. A hypothesis for the study was that views on and attitudes towards communication and ageing would vary among the age groups. Some of the main concepts and models associated with intergenerational communication with older people are reviewed, including the communication predicament and enhancement models and the concept of patronizing communication. A qualitative study of three different age groups of (mainly) women was undertaken using a variety of methods of data elicitation (including written questionnaire and focus group discussion). Themes arising from the data were illuminated using content analysis. Participants' responses demonstrate some current generally positive views across the life-span on what it means to be old and the value of communication with older people. The implications for speech and language therapy practice are outlined, with the main emphasis on the potential use of intergenerational communication theory in developing a new focus for training other staff groups who care for older people and for measures of effectiveness of such in-service training.