Why We Should Not Use “Elderspeak” with Dementia Patients

Oftentimes, names like “sweetie” or “dear” signal terms of endearment, but why might this gesture be taken as patronizing? A new study shows that elders suffering from dementia are usually exposed to “elderspeak”—a loud, slow form of baby talk for seniors—which makes them feel incompetent, leading to social isolation and cognitive decline. Communication training can help to reduce the number of diminutives, terms of endearment, and collective pronouns that caregivers often use with their patients.

See Mary Kekatos, Don’t Call Me Sweetie! Why We Should Never Use ‘Elderspeak’ to Talk Down to Dementia Patients, Daily Mail, March 24, 2017.