Try: Try to speak more slowly than usual repeat or reword what you have said when it is not understood try to use normal facial expressions and gestures during conversations to help cr better interpret what you are saying or trying to express if you need to give cr multistep directions try to give one step at a time when one step is completed give he next one try to encourage friends and family to have routine conversations with cr it will interest cr and because of its familiarity should be easier to follow if cr has trouble choosing the right words or has trouble talking try to get the gist of what he she is saying if you have an idea of what cr is trying to say ask do you mean ___ you may need to try several possibilities before determining the message if you can’t figure out what cr is trying to say ask cr to give the message in another way encourage use of alternative words gestures or writing be patient allow cr time to express him herself if cr has trouble remembering what he she has said remind him her of the

Materials: Pen paper

Categories: Sage, Topic, Cognitive Intellectual, Communication, Medical Physical, Personal, Social, Hearing, So-So Hearing, Poor Hearing, Verbal Communication, So-So Verbal Comm, Poor Verbal Comm, Cognitive Awareness, Somewhat Aware, Unaware, Long-Term Memory, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: If it is pertinent if he she repeats the information it is best not to say anything about it cr may only feel embarrassed and frustrated unnecessarily if cr hears better when others talk louder this may mean cr has a hearing loss try suggesting to cr that he she get a hearing aid if cr already has one check the batteries and make sure the hearing aid is fitted right in cr’s ear

References: basic suggestions to improve care by northwestern university feinberg school of medicine 2002 available at www brain northwestern edu

Keywords: Understanding conversations memory loss hearing loss

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed