Supporting Adult Hearing And Cognitive Difficulties
Written by: Nimra Khan / Treatment / May 24, 2023 / 8 minutes read
May is Speech and Hearing Month, which aims to bring more attention to communication, speech and language difficulties as well as the work that speech-language pathologists and audiologists do to support others in these areas. Speech therapists often need to work with clients who are not able to communicate well with them due to hearing difficulties or cognitive difficulties that make it hard to focus on many topics. Cognitive difficulties can include brain injury, aphasia (see a spotlight on aphasia HERE), Parkinson’s or Dementia. Read more about Alzheimer’s Disease HERE. These strategies could be helpful for family members to use with their own family as well.
This is the most obvious strategy – moving closer is better to do than just speaking very loudly, especially if someone wears a hearing aid. Find ways to remove tables in-between where possible, especially at home and in restaurants. When speaking with someone over the phone, this is hard to change. However, it is much easier if your mouth is also easier to see. So over-enunciate (without ‘talking down’ to others) and try to use video so that the individual can see your face.
Whichever platform you are using, make use of the settings to help you! On Zoom, that means changing the mic settings to reduce background noise so that your voice is easier to hear. I do find that Facetime and WhatsApp aren’t as helpful for audio quality, however, making use of slower pace virtually and providing visual cues are all helpful ways to do this.
Different hearing aids and hearing technologies have different functions. Some only amplify the volume while others can change frequencies as well. Consider this for family members in choosing the best strategy for them.
This often sounds like something used just for children, but that’s not the case. This is especially helpful for cognitive difficulties. This can include writing down key words – for example, if I am discussing the weekend, I would write down “weekend” clearly on a blank piece of paper and keep that between us while we talk.
Some individuals benefit from small pictures too. This could be a piece of paper with a picture of food items, a newspaper and sports items. Based on what the individual likes to speak about, you can present these ideas so that, even if they have difficulty hearing or understanding what you are saying, it’s less work to hold all this information in their mind. They can have more control in choosing a conversation topic and you can follow along with them.
Bringing personal items is also helpful or those with cognitive difficulties affecting their speech. Try to include pictures of people you know, a pet, a newspaper or photo album. Be careful to not just ‘quiz’ people, but provide these items as conversation starters.
The individual you are speaking to could also help you with this – ask them to write/spell a word, or point to an object if that helps you understand them better. It’s a team effort!
Try to keep questions and comments short, or when asking questions, only keep one question at a time rather than asking multiple questions in one go without pause. Here is an example:
“What did you do this weekend? Anything fun? Did you end up seeing Katy?”. Instead, try this: “Did you see Katy this weekend?” and wait for an answer before adding more. In combination with visual support, this can be a great support for individuals who are trying to manage a lot of information in their mind.
In connection with ‘keeping it short and simple’, try offering two options. For example, “are you asking about the news or a TV show?”, rather than just asking them to repeat. In this way, you can create a path that is easier to follow without giving the individual all the words.
If you find it hard to understand what someone is saying, it’s best to say so, by saying “I’m sorry, I didn’t understand that”, and use another strategy mentioned above to get clarification. In my experience, it can be frustrating for the person with hearing difficulties, who knows what they want to say, to have to pretend that you understand. Treat people as equals in communication and it will be easier to find solutions.
The more frustrated you become, the harder it is for the other person to feel confident in themselves. So try to show patience when there is a communication breakdown. If there are still difficulties
Most importantly: remember that you are talking to an adult! Their difficulties do not define them. It’s just a small obstacle in their ability to tell you their thoughts, so it’s best to speak to them as an adult, with the same tone of voice you would use with adults. Provide support as needed and show respect as much as possible. To learn more about neurodegenerative conditions, read more HERE. For professional communication concerns, you can read about our online course, Communication Wellness Masterclass.
To speak with one of the speech-language pathologists at Well Said: Toronto Speech Therapy, schedule an initial consultation by clicking the link below or calling (647) 795-5277.