"Honey," Don't Talk to Me Like That! Getting Rid of Elderspeak

"Honey," Don't Talk to Me Like That! Getting Rid of Elderspeak By Esther Heerema, MSW Ever heard this spoken to an adult in a high-pitched voice: "Hi Sweetie! Aren't we hungry today?" If you're like most people, you don't appreciate being treated like you're 3 years old. People with dementia don't like it, either. Just because someone struggles with memory or making decisions does not give us the right to treat them like little children. And, if that's not enough reason to avoid this practice, there are several other benefits as well. "Honey," Don't Talk to Me Like That! Getting Rid of Elderspeak  Examples of Elderspeak include:  -"Oh Honey Bun, you want to go to bed, don't you?" -"Sweetie, you're just so cute!" Elderspeak involves a way of talking down to others, and it's got to go.   READ NOW Statistics: Who Gets Alzheimer's Disease?  Who's most at risk? How many people are affected by Alzheimer's disease? What's the life expectancy of those who are living with Alzheimer's? Here's the lowdown on these and other related questions.    READ NOW 18 Myths About Alzheimer's: The Top Info Out There That's Wrong  Fact or myth? Do dental fillings increase your dementia risk? Here's what science says about this and other misleading info on Alzheimer's. READ NOW The Complete Guide to the Symptoms and Stages of Alzheimer's  Wondering what happens when someone gets Alzheimer's? Here's what to expect throughout the stages of this disease. READ NOW The Symptoms, Types and Treatment of Primary Progressive Aphasia  Primary progressive aphasia is a type of dementia that significantly affects the ability to communicate with others. READ NOW Go Nuts! The Truth about Nuts and Your Brain  Have you heard the hype about the benefits of nuts? Turns out, research may agree with a lot of the "hype."  READ NOW Advertisement READ THESE NEXT Why Wives Put up With A "Culture of Adultery" in Professional Sports Why Homophobia Is Not a True Phobia — It's a Moral or Social Problem How Much Do You Know About Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development? Does Your Child Have Any Food Allergy Symptoms? Quiz: Could You Have a Thyroid Problem? Understanding Lung Cancer Do You Have PCOS Symptoms? This Quiz Will Tell You. How Much of a Nutrition Whiz Are You? AN ABOUT.COM BRAND You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Alzheimer's & Dementia newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY, 10036 © 2016 Verywell.com - All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.