Honey, sweetness, dear: there are dangers in “elderspeak”
A first example of Elderspeak: Cindy Smith was visiting with her father in her living apartment assisted in Roseville, California. A helper who was trying to induce him to do something - Mrs. Smith no longer remembers what - he said: "Let me help you, honey"."He just looked at her - under his thick eyebrows - and said:" What do we get married? "" Smith, who made a nice laugh, said, said. His father was then 92, a retired county planner and a veteran of the Second World War; Macuular degeneration had reduced the quality of his vision and used a walking for movement, but remained cognitively acute."Normally it wouldn't have become too icy with people," said Mrs. Smith. "But he had the feeling that he had grown up and was not always treated as one."People almost understand what "Elderspea...