'Elderspeak' has been defined as a form of communication overaccommodation used with older adults that typically involves inappropriate simplified speech. One aspect of elderspeak is the use of terms of endearment such as 'honey', sweetie' and 'dear'. There is disagreement regarding the use of terms of endearment with older adults, with differing views on whether it is beneficial or harmful.
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Schmitz et al. (2024) studied this question.
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