The Gerontologist
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Williams, K.
Right arrow Articles by Hummert, M. L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Williams, K.
Right arrow Articles by Hummert, M. L.
The Gerontologist 43:242-247 (2003)
© 2003 The Gerontological Society of America

Improving Nursing Home Communication: An Intervention to Reduce Elderspeak

Kristine Williams1,, Susan Kemper2 and Mary Lee Hummert2

Correspondence: Address correspondence to Kristine Williams, Assistant Professor, University of Kansas School of Nursing, 3901 Rainbow Blvd., Kansas City, KS 66160. E-mail: kwilliams1{at}kumc.edu

Purpose: Opportunities for social interaction are lacking within today's nursing homes and staff frequently communicate messages of dependence, incompetence, and control to residents. This study evaluated a brief educational program designed to increase staff awareness of intergenerational speech modifications such as elderspeak and strategies to enhance communication. Design and Methods: A communication-training program was provided to Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs; n = 20) in five nursing homes. Audio recordings of staff interacting with residents before and after training were transcribed, coded, and compared on features of elderspeak. Results: After the training, CNAs reduced their use of elderspeak including terms of endearment, inappropriate collective pronouns, and shortened sentence length. In addition, the emotional tone of staff speech with residents was rated as less controlling and more respectful after the training while caring qualities were maintained. Speech rate did not change significantly. Implications: Teaching CNAs to reduce elderspeak holds promise as an approach to improving the social environment in nursing homes.

Key Words: Communication and aging • Staff training




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Qual Health ResHome page
P. C. Kontos and G. Naglie
Expressions of Personhood in Alzheimer's Disease: An Evaluation of Research-Based Theatre as a Pedagogical Tool
Qual Health Res, July 1, 2007; 17(6): 799 - 811.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 AM J ALZHEIMERS DIS OTHER DEMENHome page
J. A. Small, J. Perry, and J. Lewis
Perceptions of family caregivers' psychosocial behavior when communicating with spouses who have Alzheimer's disease
American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, September 1, 2005; 20(5): 281 - 289.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 BMJHome page
Minerva
BMJ, October 6, 2003; 327(7418): E243 - 243.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 BMJHome page
Minerva
BMJ, April 26, 2003; 326(7395): 940 - 940.
[Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
All GSA journals Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
Copyright © 2003 by The Gerontological Society of America.