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Improving nursing home communication: an intervention to reduce elderspeak
Kristine Williams1, Susan Kemper, Mary Lee Hummert
1University of Kansas School of Nursing, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA. kwilliams1@kumc.edu
The Gerontologist
|April 5, 2003
Summary
Nursing home staff reduced elderspeak, improving resident communication. This training enhanced respectful interactions and social engagement, positively impacting the care environment.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Communication Studies
- Healthcare Education
Background:
- Nursing home residents often lack social interaction opportunities.
- Staff communication can inadvertently convey messages of dependence and control.
- Elderspeak, a form of modified speech, is common in elder care settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a brief educational program for Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs).
- To increase staff awareness of elderspeak and communication-enhancement strategies.
- To improve the social environment within nursing homes through better communication.
Main Methods:
- A communication-training program was delivered to 20 CNAs across five nursing homes.
- Audio recordings of staff-resident interactions were collected before and after training.
- Recordings were transcribed and analyzed for elderspeak features and speech tone.
Main Results:
- CNAs significantly reduced their use of elderspeak, including terms of endearment and shortened sentences.
- The emotional tone of staff speech shifted towards being less controlling and more respectful.
- Caring qualities in staff communication were maintained, with no significant change in speech rate.
Conclusions:
- Training CNAs to reduce elderspeak is a promising strategy for improving nursing home social environments.
- Enhanced communication can foster more respectful and less controlling interactions between staff and residents.
- This intervention holds potential for improving the quality of life for nursing home residents.
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