Conversations Made Easy! A Collection of Topics That Elderly People Enjoy
Some caregiving staff may find it difficult to hold conversations with older adults.
You might think, “I don’t know what to talk about, so the conversation doesn’t continue,” or “I don’t have any funny, laugh-worthy stories.” The key to communicating with older adults is attentive listening—taking a genuine interest and carefully listening to what they say.
Try shifting your approach from “talking yourself” to “listening to the other person.” In this article, we’ll introduce conversation topics that older adults tend to enjoy and that help keep the conversation flowing.
If you know in advance some easy, enjoyable themes that older adults can talk about comfortably, you’ll be able to chat with more confidence.
Please use this as a reference for communicating with older adults.
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Never run out of things to say! A roundup of conversation topics that appeal to seniors (11–20)
Challenging topics
Anyone who has lived a long life is bound to have one or two stories of hardship.
Let’s listen to those stories.
By listening to older people, you’ll often find useful insights and feel a sense of respect.
It’s also a good idea to ask how they overcame those difficulties and how they found happiness.
People generally want others to listen to their stories, so by listening attentively, you also have the benefit of making them feel happy.
Topics about seasonal events and festivities
There are various annual events in Japan and around the world.
How about making those events a topic of conversation? They likely differ between the past and the present, and there may also be different customs depending on the region.
By having older adults talk about such things, various memories can connect, leading to more nostalgic recollections.
Asking further about the details also provides good exercise for the brain.
And being asked many questions about oneself is something that makes anyone happy, not just older adults.
Stories about standout athletes and sports
If the elderly person is interested in sports, try asking about the athletes who were active when they were young or about historically memorable matches.
If it’s baseball, recalling baseball memories may also bring back related recollections.
They might say things like, “I watched games with people from the neighborhood,” or “I actually went to the ballpark to see a game,” and one memory will trigger another, likely stimulating the brain.
Also, by remembering the stories you hear in this way, future communication is likely to go more smoothly.
Talk about a popular song
In a society where many people grew up in nuclear families, it can be hard to find topics to talk about with seniors from different generations.
That’s where music comes in handy.
Music is said to transcend nationality and age, so you’ll likely have a great time together.
You could ask, “What songs were popular when you were young?” If it’s a song you know, just singing along together can make for a fulfilling time even without much conversation.
If you learn some simple chords, you can also play accompaniment on a keyboard and enjoy moments filled with music.
Favorite dishes and food topics
People can’t live without eating at all times.
Even in old age, many people continue to be interested in food.
Questions like “What was the most delicious thing you’ve eaten recently?”, “What’s your favorite food?”, or “Can you tell me how to make a dish you’re good at?” make conversation easier.
Both the person asking and the person being asked feel happier, and the discussion tends to be more lively.
If they’re a gourmet, it’s also good to ask about restaurants they enjoyed when they were younger.
That can prompt various memories and help stimulate the brain.
Topics about one’s birthplace or hometown
How about getting to know the person’s birthplace or hometown and deepening your understanding of their journey and roots? By asking what kind of place they were born and raised in, or where they’ve lived, you can also learn about cultural differences that vary by region.
Even if they were born and raised in the same place, the conversation can branch into aspects that differ from the present—such as the history that area has gone through and what life there was like.
By sharing your affection for your hometowns with genuine enthusiasm, you may both gain a deeper understanding of each other’s places and of the paths each person has taken.
Never run out of things to say! A roundup of conversation topics that resonate with seniors (21–30)
child-rearing
How about asking them about their experiences facing the challenges of parenting and the various memories that come with it? If you hear stories about how they gathered and used parenting information, you can turn those insights into your own experience.
It could also be engaging to talk about differences in parenting across generations, sharing each other’s knowledge and experiences.
Let’s draw out parenting-related topics from various angles—memories that were tough, ones that were joyful, and everything in between.