Free · Certificate included

Communicating with Older Adults

Skip the baby talk. Learn to communicate with older adults clearly, respectfully, and as the capable adults they are.

45 min Beginner 7 modules Pass 80%

For: Volunteers and staff who serve older adults

What you’ll learn

Recognize and drop "elderspeak" — the patronizing baby talk that disrespects elders
Communicate clearly with someone who has hearing loss
Speak at a pace that gives older adults time to process and respond
Set up the environment — light, noise, position — for easy understanding
Use warmth, body language, and patience to connect emotionally
Support communication after stroke or with word-finding, and honor autonomy

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Course outline

1
Respect first: drop the elderspeak
The single most important rule of talking with older adults is to treat them as the capable adults they are.
7 min Quiz
2
Hearing loss: communicate so you’re understood
Hearing loss affects roughly one in three adults over 65 and half of those over 75.
8 min Video Quiz Interactive
3
Speak clearly, give time
Aging can slow how quickly someone processes speech, finds a word, or forms a reply — without any loss of intelligence.
6 min Quiz Interactive
4
Set the scene: vision, light & noise
Communication is easier or harder before you say a word — the environment does half the job.
6 min Quiz
5
Warmth, body language & connection
Beyond words, older adults read your tone, face, and body — often more keenly than younger people, especially if hearing is limited.
5 min Quiz Interactive
6
After a stroke: aphasia & word-finding
Some older adults have aphasia — difficulty with language after a stroke or brain injury.
6 min Quiz
7
Autonomy, dignity & cultural humility
Respectful communication ultimately protects an older adult’s autonomy and dignity.
5 min Quiz

Sources & further reading

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