A new project by Better Hearing Australia (WA), Edith Cowan University and Not For Profit Perth-based aged care charity Brightwater Care Group is teaching simple hand signs in aged care and retirement villages to enhance communication, reduce social isolation and improve quality of life.
The Qsign project aims to help overcome the hearing, language and communication issues among older people that make interactions difficult.
In conjunction with aged care staff and residents, 20 signs considered most important for health, safety and family interactions have been identified. Word signs include eat, sleep, medicine, pain and stop.
Edith Cowan University Honorary Senior Research Fellow Dr Barnard Clarkson said the signs chosen have a strong Auslan influence and are easy to mimic and replicate. He also said the coronavirus pandemic had made communication challenges in aged care even harder.
“These have been made worse during COVID-19 when staff are wearing masks preventing lipreading and socially distancing which reduces the prospect of clear communication,” said Dr Clarkson.
Chair Better Hearing Australia (WA) Barbara Alcock said as well as learning the signs participants would be encouraged to do one simple thing to improve their communication — face each other while speaking.
“Encouraging people to look at each other while they’re speaking aids lipreading, hearing and reading of body language,” she said.
What a fantastic initiative.
