Adapting “Listen N Talk”: developing a personalized communication app with culturally and linguistically diverse residents in aged care

Background: Rich communication between staff and residents in aged care settings is essential. Digital communication devices used to support communication in aged care settings are often not well targeted to individual needs and contexts. In this pilot study, we investigate the adaptation of a phrase-based language learning app, to support communication between carestaff and residents in a residential aged care setting in Western Sydney, Australia.

Methods: An interdisciplinary team of researchers and aged care professionals worked with three aged care residents for whom English was not their first language, to co-design and trial a prototype digital language resource. Insights from carestaff members into communication issues they face in their roles were documented through focus group sessions. A database of phrases was developed and then loaded into the Listen N Talk app. Carestaff trialed the resource with the residents for six weeks. Feedback from carestaff was gathered through semi-structured interviews.

Results: Based on responses of carestaff to an initial focus group, the language content of the prototype was focused on the context of daily care. The residents who participated in the study were long-term residents already familiar with the daily routine of the facility and staff had already established communication strategies regarding residents’ needs or preferences. Three contexts were identified in which an app of this kind could be useful to facilitate communication: in a medical emergency, as a tool to strengthen English language skills of residents and staff and in the transition to residential aged care to support the development of routines with the new resident.

Conclusion: This study identified three contexts in which a phrase-based app can facilitate communication with culturally and linguistically diverse residents and carestaff. Feedback suggested avenues for further development such as the use of more open-ended translation together with sets of personalized phrases.