Effective communication with seniors in Retirement and Long Term Care residences is paramount to their overall well-being. How the communication is presented has a direct effect on its perceived value. The more professional the presentation, the more credible the information.
How is effective communication with seniors achieved? Let’s start with the basics…
Presentation: The display is as important as the message itself. Keep all your postings organized, up to date, in consistent locations, and above all, make sure they are visually appealing. Organized communication is effective communication!
Location: Post information in various locations throughout the residence where it can be found easily. Repeated opportunities to get noticed increase the chances your residents will read it more often and remember what they read. Take advantage of reception and gathering areas that are used frequently. And don’t leave out the elevator: you have a captive audience with repeated use on a daily basis. It may just be the best place in the entire residence!
Quality: Well-written communication adds credibility to your message. This is important not only to your residents, but to their families and your staff as well. The old ways of tacking or taping random notices in haphazard locations are hard to manage and lessen the significance of the activity or event itself. Keep the message simple so it’s easy to read and written in a way that helps residents relate to the contents and aid in retention.
Perception: Make your presentations professional, meaningful, and appealing to your residents. When you focus on clarity and quality of the information, your residents will be more receptive to the message and more likely to participate. Not to mention, the quality of the events themselves will be elevated!
These four principles for effective communication are at the core of each board designed by MyActivityBoard.com. Visit our website or contact us today to find out how we can help you improve communication with seniors in your Retirement or Long Term Care residence.
