Adult Language

Here’s something impressive: The Anti-Elderspeak Language Guide, published by CATCH-ON and the Rush Center for Excellence in Aging. It’s an easy-to-digest, two-page chart that offers clear recommendations on communication techniques for care teams to use with older adults.

It plainly describes what to say and do—as well as what not to say or do—and why. (To avoid, for example, implications that youth is superior and aging is undesirable; or techniques that are patronizing or condescending, or that imply impairment.)

And it starts with a wonderful reminder:

“We are ALL aging—how do you want to be spoken to?”

(Photo by Andric Guerrero on Pexels)