What is Listening Services to the Elderly?

Listening Services: What is this?  

An expert trained in listening to elders gives a patient hearing to what you have to say.  You may benefit from the opportunity to talk confidentially to a neutral and impartial but patient and professional listener with an unbiased mind. There are difficult situations with which they are struggling finding no one to share your anxiety, anger frustration disappointments, and grief or simply to listen to your side of the story.

Why offer Listening Services:  

Each of us is struggling with something. Some struggles are evident to others and only you know some. For many reasons it may be difficult to talk about these situations with friends, family or business associates:

You may not know WHAT to say

You may not know HOW to say what you want to say

You may be embarrassed to say what you want to say

Perhaps you’re faced with making a hard decision. Perhaps you and your spouse or partner are negotiating a divorce or separation or are deciding to get united again. Perhaps there’s a situation at work that has become unbearable. This is where Listening Services can be useful.

Characteristics:  

It’s anonymous and confidential – Others will never know

It’s neutral and impartial — Listening doesn’t take sides and doesn’t promote particular solutions or action sides taken or solutions offered.

It’s non-judgmental and unbiased — Listening accepts you and the situation as they are, while helping you explore whether there is something you can or should do to change things.  There’s no pressure or expectation that you will change anything, solve anything, or do anything differently. It’s supportive – Nobody hurries you; no expectations of compliance with anything.

Trained professionals either voluntarily free of cost or for a nominal professional fee may offer listening services. If it the latter, charges are claimed on per hour basis.