Communication map of elderly people: Sociodemographic and cognitive-linguistic aspects

Silagi, Marcela Lima; Peres, Aline Rufo; Schochat, Eliane; Mansur, Leticia Lessa

doi:10.1590/S1980-57642013DN74000005

ABSTRACT

Language and communication difficulties may occur in the elderly population. This is the case of the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon and receptive and auditory comprehension difficulties. Few studies have focused on examining the effects of social exposure on maintaining communication in the aging process.

Objectives:

[1] To describe the communication map of healthy elderly subjects; [2] To search for associations between frequency and time dedicated to communication and cognitive and sociodemographic factors.

Methods:

Healthy elderly subjects were submitted to cognitive screening, the Token Test - Revised, and the Verbal Fluency test, and answered the ASHA-FACS and the Circles of Communication Partners questionnaires.

Results:

55 subjects, 67% female, with ages over 60 years and varied schooling were included in the sample. Interlocutors in the circle of close friends and acquaintances predominated in the communication map, although the time devoted to communication with these partners was lower than in other circles. Overall, the elderly reported no deficits in language comprehension, with some reports of the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon. Poor performances on the Token Test - Revised and in phonemic verbal fluency along with reports of communication functionality indicated that these subjects compensate for their problems.

Conclusion:

Older subjects with lower schooling tended to predominantly communicate within the family circle. Within other circles, the number of hours devoted to communication and dialogue partners was not associated with age or schooling. The time devoted to the circle of communication with friends may indicate cognitive difficulties.

Key words:
social support; communication; language; elderly.

RESUMO

Dificuldades de linguagem e comunicação podem ocorrer na população idosa. Esse é o caso do fenômeno da ponta da língua e também dificuldades de recepção e compreensão auditiva. Poucos estudos se dedicam a examinar efeitos da exposição social na manutenção da comunicação, no processo do envelhecimento.

Objetivos:

[1] Descrever o mapa de comunicação de idosos saudáveis; [2] Buscar associações entre frequência e tempo destinados à comunicação e fatores cognitivos e sociodemográficos.

Métodos:

Foram examinados idosos saudáveis que realizaram rastreio cognitivo, Token Test-Revisado, Fluência verbal e responderam aos questionários ASHA-FAcs e Círculos de Interlocutores de Comunicação.

Resultados:

55 sujeitos, 67% do gênero feminino, idade acima de 60 anos e escolaridades variadas compuseram a amostra. No mapa de comunicação predominaram interlocutores no círculo de amigos próximos e conhecidos embora o tempo dedicado à comunicação com esses interlocutores seja menor do que nos outros círculos. Na média geral os idosos não relataram déficits de compreensão de linguagem e houve relatos de dificuldades do tipo fenômeno de ponta de língua. Baixos desempenhos no TT-R e na fluência verbal fonêmica ao lado do relato de funcionalidade na comunicação indica que esses sujeitos compensam seus problemas.

Conclusão:

O número de horas de interlocução e de interlocutores não está associado à idade e escolaridade, exceto para indivíduos com maior idade e menor escolaridade os quais tendem a privilegiar a interlocução em seu círculo familiar. O tempo dedicado ao círculo de comunicação com amigos pode sinalizar dificuldades de natureza cognitiva.

Palavras-chave:
suporte social; comunicação; linguagem; idosos.

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Full text available only in PDF format.

REFERENCES

¹
Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. Projeção da População do Brasil: 1980-2050. Disponível em: <http://www.ibge.gov.br/>
» <http://www.ibge.gov.br/>
²
Garcia FHA, Mansur LL. Habilidades funcionais de comunicação: idoso saudável. Acta Fisiatr 2006;13:87-89.
³
Facal-Mayo D, Juncos-Rabadán O, Álvarez M, Pereiro-Rozas A-X, Díaz Fernández F. Efectos del envejecimiento en el acceso al léxico: el fenómeno de la punta de la lengua ante los nombres propios. Rev Neurol 2006;43:719-723.
⁴
Ossher L, Flegal KE, Lustig C. Everyday memory errors in older adults. Neuropsychol Dev Cogn B Aging Neuropsychol Cogn 2013;20:220-242.
⁵
Kacker SK. Hearing impairment in the aged. Indian J Med Res 1997; 106:333-339.
⁶
Wingfield A, Grossman M. Language and the Aging Brain: Patterns of Neural Compensation Revealed by Functional Brain Imaging. J Neurophysiol 2006;96:2830-2839.
⁷
Facal D, Juncos-Tabadan O, Rodriguez MS, Pereiro AX. Tip-of-the-tongue in aging: influence of vocabulary, working memory and processing speed. Aging Clin Exp Res 2012;24:647-656.
⁸
Salthouse TA, Mandell AR. Do Age-Related Increases in Tip-of-the-Tongue Experiences Signify Episodic Memory Impairments? Psychol Sci 2013. [Epub ahead of print]
⁹
Pinheiro MMC, Pereira LD. Processamento auditivo em idosos: estudo da interação por meio de testes com estímulos verbais e não-verbais. Rev Bras Otorrinolaringol 2004;70:209-214.
¹⁰
Quintero SM, Marotta RMB, Marone SAM. Avaliação do procesamento auditivo de indivíduos idosos com e sem presbiacusia por meio do teste de reconhecimento de dissílabos em tarefa dicótica - SSW. Rev Bras Otorrinolaringol2002;68:28-33.
¹¹
Pichora-Fuller MK, Souza PE. Effects of aging on auditory processing of speech. Int J Audiol 2003;42(Suppl 2):S11-S16.
¹²
Stein C, Moritz I. A Life Course Perspective of Maintaining Independence in Older Age. WHO´s Ageing and health, World Health Organization. Geneva, 1999. http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/1999/WHO_HSC_AHE_99,2_life,pdf
» http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/1999/WHO_HSC_AHE_99,2_life,pdf
¹³
Park DC, Reuter-Lorenz P. The adaptive brain: aging and neurocognitive scaffolding. Annu Rev Psychol 2009;60:173-196.
¹⁴
d'Orsi E, Xavier AJ, Ramos LR. Work, social support and leisure protect the elderly from functional loss: EPIDOSO study. Rev Saude Publica 2011;45:685-692.
¹⁵
Arbuckle T, Gold DP. Aging, inhibition, and verbosity, J Gerontol Psychol Sci 1993;48:225-232.
¹⁶
Obler LK. Developments in the Adult Years, In: Gleason JB (9editor). The development of language. Boston, Allyn and Bacon; 2000:455-488.
¹⁷
Knopman DS, Kramer JH, Boeve BF, et al. Developmento of methodology for conducting clinical trials in frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Brain 2008;131:2957-2968.
¹⁸
Blackstone S, Berg M. Social Networks: A Communication Inventory for individuals with complex communication needs and their communication partners. Monterey CA: Augmentative Communication, 2003.
¹⁹
Smith GE, Ivnik RJ. Normative neuropsychology. In: Petersen RC (editor). Mild Cognitive Impairment, New York: Oxford; 2003:63-88.
²⁰
Folstein MF, Folstein SE, McHugh PR. Mini-mental state: a practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. J Psychiatric Research 1975;12:189-198.
²¹
Brucki SMD, Nitrini R, Caramelli P, Bertolucci PHF, Okamoto IH. Sugestões para o uso do Mini-Exame do Estado Mental no Brasil. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2003;61:777-781.
²²
Castelo MS, Coelho-Filho JM, Carvalho AF, Lima JW, Noleto JC, Ribeiro KG, Siqueira-Neto JI. Validity of the Brazilian version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) among primary care patients. Int Psychogeriatr 2010;22:109-113.
²³
Fratalli C, Thompson CK, Holland A, Wohl C, Ferketic M. ASHA FACS. Functional assessment of communication skills for adults. American Speech and Hearing Association; 1995.
²⁴
Machado TH, Charchat Fichman H, Santos EL, et al. Normative data for healthy elderly on the phonemic verbal fluency task - FAS. Dement Neuropsychol. 2009;3:55-60.
²⁵
McNeil MR, Prescott TE. Revised Token Test.Texas. Pro-Ed.1983.
²⁶
Burt RS, Kilduff M, Tasselli S. Social network analysis: foundations and frontiers on advantage. Annu Rev Psychol2013;64:527-547.
²⁷
Nicholson Jr NR. Social isolation in older adults: an evolutionary concept analysis. J Adv Nurs 2009;1342-1352.
²⁸
Robichaud L, Hébert R, Roy PM, Roy C. A preventive program for community-dwelling elderly at risk of functional decline: a pilot study. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2000;30:73-84.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
Dec 2013

History

Received
10 Aug 2013
Accepted
15 Nov 2013

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License

[1] ¹
Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. Projeção da População do Brasil: 1980-2050. Disponível em: <http://www.ibge.gov.br/>
» <http://www.ibge.gov.br/>

[2] ²
Garcia FHA, Mansur LL. Habilidades funcionais de comunicação: idoso saudável. Acta Fisiatr 2006;13:87-89.

[3] ³
Facal-Mayo D, Juncos-Rabadán O, Álvarez M, Pereiro-Rozas A-X, Díaz Fernández F. Efectos del envejecimiento en el acceso al léxico: el fenómeno de la punta de la lengua ante los nombres propios. Rev Neurol 2006;43:719-723.

[4] ⁴
Ossher L, Flegal KE, Lustig C. Everyday memory errors in older adults. Neuropsychol Dev Cogn B Aging Neuropsychol Cogn 2013;20:220-242.

[5] ⁵
Kacker SK. Hearing impairment in the aged. Indian J Med Res 1997; 106:333-339.

[6] ⁶
Wingfield A, Grossman M. Language and the Aging Brain: Patterns of Neural Compensation Revealed by Functional Brain Imaging. J Neurophysiol 2006;96:2830-2839.

[7] ⁷
Facal D, Juncos-Tabadan O, Rodriguez MS, Pereiro AX. Tip-of-the-tongue in aging: influence of vocabulary, working memory and processing speed. Aging Clin Exp Res 2012;24:647-656.

[8] ⁸
Salthouse TA, Mandell AR. Do Age-Related Increases in Tip-of-the-Tongue Experiences Signify Episodic Memory Impairments? Psychol Sci 2013. [Epub ahead of print]

[9] ⁹
Pinheiro MMC, Pereira LD. Processamento auditivo em idosos: estudo da interação por meio de testes com estímulos verbais e não-verbais. Rev Bras Otorrinolaringol 2004;70:209-214.

[10] ¹⁰
Quintero SM, Marotta RMB, Marone SAM. Avaliação do procesamento auditivo de indivíduos idosos com e sem presbiacusia por meio do teste de reconhecimento de dissílabos em tarefa dicótica - SSW. Rev Bras Otorrinolaringol2002;68:28-33.

[11] ¹¹
Pichora-Fuller MK, Souza PE. Effects of aging on auditory processing of speech. Int J Audiol 2003;42(Suppl 2):S11-S16.

[12] ¹²
Stein C, Moritz I. A Life Course Perspective of Maintaining Independence in Older Age. WHO´s Ageing and health, World Health Organization. Geneva, 1999. http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/1999/WHO_HSC_AHE_99,2_life,pdf
» http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/1999/WHO_HSC_AHE_99,2_life,pdf

[13] ¹³
Park DC, Reuter-Lorenz P. The adaptive brain: aging and neurocognitive scaffolding. Annu Rev Psychol 2009;60:173-196.

[14] ¹⁴
d'Orsi E, Xavier AJ, Ramos LR. Work, social support and leisure protect the elderly from functional loss: EPIDOSO study. Rev Saude Publica 2011;45:685-692.

[15] ¹⁵
Arbuckle T, Gold DP. Aging, inhibition, and verbosity, J Gerontol Psychol Sci 1993;48:225-232.

[16] ¹⁶
Obler LK. Developments in the Adult Years, In: Gleason JB (9editor). The development of language. Boston, Allyn and Bacon; 2000:455-488.

[17] ¹⁷
Knopman DS, Kramer JH, Boeve BF, et al. Developmento of methodology for conducting clinical trials in frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Brain 2008;131:2957-2968.

[18] ¹⁸
Blackstone S, Berg M. Social Networks: A Communication Inventory for individuals with complex communication needs and their communication partners. Monterey CA: Augmentative Communication, 2003.

[19] ¹⁹
Smith GE, Ivnik RJ. Normative neuropsychology. In: Petersen RC (editor). Mild Cognitive Impairment, New York: Oxford; 2003:63-88.

[20] ²⁰
Folstein MF, Folstein SE, McHugh PR. Mini-mental state: a practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. J Psychiatric Research 1975;12:189-198.

[21] ²¹
Brucki SMD, Nitrini R, Caramelli P, Bertolucci PHF, Okamoto IH. Sugestões para o uso do Mini-Exame do Estado Mental no Brasil. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2003;61:777-781.

[22] ²²
Castelo MS, Coelho-Filho JM, Carvalho AF, Lima JW, Noleto JC, Ribeiro KG, Siqueira-Neto JI. Validity of the Brazilian version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) among primary care patients. Int Psychogeriatr 2010;22:109-113.

[23] ²³
Fratalli C, Thompson CK, Holland A, Wohl C, Ferketic M. ASHA FACS. Functional assessment of communication skills for adults. American Speech and Hearing Association; 1995.

[24] ²⁴
Machado TH, Charchat Fichman H, Santos EL, et al. Normative data for healthy elderly on the phonemic verbal fluency task - FAS. Dement Neuropsychol. 2009;3:55-60.

[25] ²⁵
McNeil MR, Prescott TE. Revised Token Test.Texas. Pro-Ed.1983.

[26] ²⁶
Burt RS, Kilduff M, Tasselli S. Social network analysis: foundations and frontiers on advantage. Annu Rev Psychol2013;64:527-547.

[27] ²⁷
Nicholson Jr NR. Social isolation in older adults: an evolutionary concept analysis. J Adv Nurs 2009;1342-1352.

[28] ²⁸
Robichaud L, Hébert R, Roy PM, Roy C. A preventive program for community-dwelling elderly at risk of functional decline: a pilot study. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2000;30:73-84.

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