Page 11 - Storytelling - Storylistening

IV. Listening: The Silent Half of Reminiscing and Storytelling
Reflect before Responding
Learning to listen to our own inner voice is a third strategy Lindahl advocates for strengthening our capacity to listen to others.
Squelch the urge to interrupt before the speaker has finished her sentence, or to give an instant answer. Taking a few seconds to reflect before you respond will help you connect with your inner voice and give a more thoughtful response.
“It’s slowing down, waiting and practicing patience,” she says. (See “Reflective Listening Practice – the Listening Stick”).
That advice may seem incompatible for families in today’s world, and for overextended staff caught up in the frantic pace of many traditional nursing homes and other long term care settings. Sometimes there is seemingly no time to stop and listen – especially to the resident who has finally opened up to you, and now wants to talk your ear off every time he sees you.
Try making a “date”, setting aside a few minutes during a specific time each day to do nothing else but listen to the resident, Lindahl suggests. Then, the caregiver need not feel guilty for taking time from other tasks during the time designated for listening. And, the elder is reassured someone will fully listen to him on a regular basis.
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