The evaluation of intervention programmes for communicatively impaired elderly people

Abstract

A study is described which examined the efficacy of group intervention programmes using trained volunteers as agents of intervention with elderly nursing home residents with communication impairments. A series of intervention programmes, which consisted of six weekly sessions, was designed. Sessions were a combination of information giving, discussion and practical components where residents could practise newly acquired skills. Sessions covered a number of core components – the communication process, comprehension, expression and pragmatics, as well as information that was specific to the communication impairment. Volunteers were trained to administer the programme. Four groups of communica..