slow your role....

  I am trying to listen to my grandmother talk.  Her rate of speech is extremely slower than my mind will tolerate most times.  She begins by explaining how hot it is and was down where my aunt went on vacation.  For several minutes her speech slurs and stutters as she attempts to speak to fast.  I Love my grandma to death but as she repeats herself three and four times I find my patience for listening wears thin.  I exclaim "yes you told me" as she repeats her next three thoughts.  I understand she is older however this is selective behavior I believe as a way to control conversation.  As I begin to remark at her statements she abruptly hollers "WHAT".  Before I get to the middle of what I am saying she cuts me off like that.  I know she hears me because if I just look at her after I finish what I am saying she will respond accordingly.  I assure her she is not going def and that she needs to pay attention because she is not losing her mind.  If she focuses her thoughts instead of trying to say everything she is thinking her communication becomes clearer and tolerable.  I can maintain a state of patience for so long and it depends on how long it takes her to remember how to communicate.  I do not get angry with her anymore because it does not help, but I do get pretty short sometimes.  My future communication will be more successful if I can direct her to properly listening and exhibit more patience.  I believe that properly stated comments of reassurance that she can hear me and does not need to cut me off will help.  Maybe "Grammy you can hear me just fine" with very positive body language and a very happy face may work.  Or a joke, when she says "WHAT" I simply say "hearing aids aren't even noticeable nowadays Grammy".  Different situations will require different strategies, arriving before my day gets to busy and my patience is not all there will help also.  Slowing myself down will help increase my patience as to ensure I am not in a hurry.  However I find communication to be difficult when she does not care that it annoys me when I get cut off in the middle of my sentence.  I do not ever use avoidance as a method, I try to use redirection to get her on track so I am able to communicate with her.  Maybe a friendly conversation about things we can do to improve our communication so we don't get upset with each other would be a good route.