Identifying Older Adults’ Communication Support Needs and Preferences: A Scoping Review of Measurement Instruments

Background and Objectives Communication changes in older adults affect independence, social participation, and quality of life. In aged care settings, timely identification of communication support needs and preferences is essential to upholding older people’s rights and ensuring person-centred care, yet communication is not routinely assessed. This scoping review systematically identifies and describes instruments that measure communication support needs and preferences in older adults. Research Design and Methods Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we searched PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Embase alongside grey literature. Titles, abstracts, and full texts were screened against eligibility criteria using Covidence. Data on instrument context, content, and administration were extracted and synthesised using content analysis and the ICF framework. Results Twenty-six publications describing 29 instruments were included. Instruments were typically condition-specific (e.g., dementia) or impairment-specific (e.g., hearing loss). Communication preferences and personal factors, such as cultural and linguistic background, were rarely considered, and only one instrument assessed both needs and preferences. While self-report instruments were often intended for completion by the older adult, only one offered a communication-accessible version (e.g., easy read text, larger font, visual aids). Discussion and Implications No existing instrument adequately measures communication support needs and preferences for use in aged care settings. A condition-agnostic instrument is needed that adopts a holistic, biopsychosocial perspective; accounts for the aged care environment; incorporates multiple perspectives; and is communication-accessible. Developing such a measure is a foundational step toward accurate, consistent, and timely identification of the communication needs of older adults in aged care.