Communication Campaign for the Elderly Population - Assignment Example

? Communication Campaign for the Elderly Population Communication campaign targeting the elderly population One of the most important considerations when designing a communication campaign is the age of the intended audience. The elderly population of today has seen much in their lifetime, so a campaign with them in mind would definitely be different to one targeting a younger audience. The elderly have their own special needs, together with the challenges associated with the fulfillment of these needs. If one has an elderly friend or relative who has recently moved to a nursing home or an assisted-living facility, then the relationship between the two definitely changes. One may notice that as the years go by, it becomes even more challenging to communicate with him or her. Old people who are not able to live on their own in most cases have an illness that is chronic or suffer from a certain level of dementia making communication and self care difficult. Also, due to some health problems related to old-age such as loss of hearing and poor vision, they may not be able to understand or respond to people as they used to do. It is worthy remembering that while communication with the elderly may be challenging, it is definitely worth the effort. Through the maintenance of a loving connection with the elderly, one honors the relationship while at the same time helping to improve the life quality of the elderly person. Physical changes can definitely affect communication. Declines in physical abilities that are related to age can make communication challenging, while some diseases can make it even worse. Loss in hearing can make understanding of a campaign message difficult, so its better to be patient and speak audibly. When addressing an elderly person, face him or her. Additionally, it is advisable not to talk when eating, and to use a listening device aimed at improving phone conversations. Loss of vision can make it harder for elderly people to read visual campaign posters and other written campaign media. It is therefore advisable that when designing a communication campaign with old people in mind, the visual media to be used should be written in large block letters (Rice & Atkin, 2001). Some elderly people’s speaking abilities change as they grow older, with their voices becoming more inaudible and more difficult to understand. It is important to show patience when listening, and to be sensitive to when the elderly person gets tired and would want the campaign visit to end. Moreover, as people grow older, it is normal to experience memory loss that is age related, despite the fact that people experience varying degrees of memory loss. In most cases, the memory affected is the short-term memory, making it difficult for the old person to remember events that took place recently. This can be quite frustrating as the campaign manager hopes the message they pass to the elderly will be remembered or often should be remembered. It can also be challenging if the campaign period is stretched over a period of time such that the policies that were to be implemented need constant reminders. The campaign managers should bear this in mind and practice patience (Rice & Atkin, 2001). Another important consideration for the elderly is to allow them to reminisce, as well as to grieve. When a person lives to be very old, it becomes impossible not to feel the effects of significant loss. The death of friends and relatives, loss of the ability to work and independence, alterations in finances and health, together with inability to come to simple conclusions can all affect the self-esteem of an elderly person. The above-mentioned losses can lead to sadness as well as grieving, this in turn causing complications and difficulty when it comes to participation in communication campaigns. The most common responses to grief and sadness are depression, irritability, and social withdrawal. Therefore, communication campaign designers should be on the look out for such symptoms in the elderly, and if possible provide counseling and medical advice. This would not only assist the elderly to comply with the policy being fronted by the campaign, but also help in their health and well-being (Pfau & Parrot, 1992). When trying to convince elderly people about a certain policy, especially one involving new ideas, it is very important to respect their knowledge, background, and social values. This is due to the fact that elderly people’s life experiences may be quite different from those of the communication campaign designers, who very often are much younger individuals. It is thus important to let the elderly individual express his or her feelings and thoughts, and respect them even if they differ from the campaigns policy. Additionally, today’s elderly people are considerably more energetic physically, lead lifestyles that are more active, and are more generally optimistic than the previous generations. Since they are better educated, their activities and interests are likely to be broader. This is likely to cause a conflict with the campaign managers, especially if the policy to be implemented involves health, or is health related. Contrary to popular belief, most elderly individuals positively view their health, with over two-thirds of people who are 65 years old and over being of the opinion that their health is excellent in comparison to others who are age mates. In short, today’s older population is wealthy, healthy, better educated, more active, and in general more satisfied in life than any other time in history. This makes selling communication campaign policies to them a tricky situation requiring extreme caution and care (Pfau & Parrot, 1992). Conclusion Communication campaigns targeting the elderly population require different tactics to those targeting other age groups. This is because elderly people have different needs and challenges that have to be acted upon before policies of the campaign can be implemented. Due to this, campaign designers must fulfill all their requirements and needs if they want the elderly to adopt their policies. Communication Campaigns for the elderly are very important in public health since they educate the elderly on how to take care of their health. This stems from the fact that elderly people suffer from a wide range of health-related complications. Additionally, the campaigns educate the relatives, friends, or caretakers of the elderly on the best ways of taking care of elderly individuals. References Edberg, M.C. (2007). Essentials of health behavior: Social and behavioral theory in public health. New York: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Print Pfau, M. & Parrot, R. (1992). Persuasive communication campaigns. New York: Allyn and Bacon. Print Rice, R.E. & Atkin, C.K. (2001). Public Communication Campaigns. New York: SAGE. Print Read More