Elderspeak in the Time of Corona – What the Nuns Can Teach Us
ELDERSPEAK IN THE TIME OF CORONA – WHAT THE NUNS CAN TEACH US BY ANTHONY CIRILLO • Sixty and Me The Corona pandemic has exposed hidden prejudices and a cultural bias of ageism. Part of that discussion is “Elderspeak.” It occurs when an older adult is spoken to by health care workers, service personnel, neighbors, or even family members as if he or she is a child with limited understanding. Anna Corwin, Ph.D., an anthropologist and professor at St. Mary’s College of California, says that elderspeak sounds like baby talk or simplified speech and is, in fact, a symptom of how...
