Communication Assistance

Being able to communicate is a fundamental human right, yet age and poor health can lead to communication difficulties.

One’s ability to communicate effectively can be altered by degenerative conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and neurological conditions such as motor neurone disease. Suffering a stroke can also affect speech as does age-related decline in vision and hearing.

Colbrow’s sensitive and compassionate nurses and carers will do everything to maximise the communication exchange. Ensuring your communication devices such as hearing aids and glasses are in good working order is essential. We can see to it that communication takes place in a quiet space with limited distractions and/or interruptions. To further mitigate the risk of you not hearing or understanding the conversation, we will always be facing you when we speak and use expressive body language to reinforce our message.

In addition to these measures that improve and assist communication, there are a number of personal assistive technology devices available to help people with hearing impairment, low vision, and other communication difficulties. These include communication boards, computer tablets, and devices that speak for you. Communication devices, systems, strategies, and tools that replace or support natural speech are known as augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). These tools support a person who has difficulties communicating using speech.

As we follow a Consumer Directed Care approach, whatever communication assistance we can provide to assist you in meeting your care goals will be sourced and included in your aged care at home services.