Optimizing Effective Communication While Wearing a Mask During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Mandated face mask use for health care providers, secondary to COVID-19, creates an additional communication barrier for older adults with cognitive, communication, and/or hearing challenges. Face masks can soften a speaker's voice, conceal vocal tone, and hide facial expressions that relay essential non-verbal information. An inability to understand health care information or words of support can lead to frustration, anxiety, and decreased quality of life. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to review the current research, provide clinical examples, and highlight communication strategies, supports (i.e., written, gestural, and picture supports), and modifications to personal protective equipment that health care providers can implement, in isolation or combined, to improve communication with older adults.