Publications for the Elderly

Writing style

When writing a document, pay particular attention to the type of language used, as well as the reading level of the material. Here are some things to keep in mind in creating a publication that is comprehensible to your intended audience:

• Use continuous prose when writing your materials. This is the style that people are most used to reading.

• Be concise. Most people remember 3-5 ideas at a time. Break up large, complicated sections of information into smaller parts.

• Avoid technical details or jargon. These are difficult for people who are unfamiliar with the subject. If necessary, put these details at the back of the document where they are less likely to discourage the reader.

• Explain procedures in simple, step-by-step terms.

• Keep sentence length to about 15 words or fewer. Use words with fewer syllables in them whenever possible.

• Use examples for, and repeat, important items to increase the reader’s recall of these points. Be specific and concrete with examples that the reader will understand.

• Use active voice and personal pronouns related to the reader. This enhances interaction and interest in the material.

• Be specific with the words you choose. For example, use the word "monthly" rather than "regularly" to convey frequency.

• Introduce a concept or term before using an acronym or other abbreviation to represent it.

• Maintain a neutral tone that is not patronizing or judgmental toward the reader.

• Make the document appropriate to the literacy level of the audience. Publications must be written at about a fifth grade level to be comprehensible to the majority of the adult population. No publication intended for the general population should exceed the eighth grade reading level.

• Keep material culturally sensitive to age, ethnicity, gender, medical issues, as well as any other pertinent reader demographics.

Examples:

Effective style:

Create your materials with your audience in mind. Many elderly people have vision problems. Thus, the text of your document should be large and simple for easy reading.

Ineffective style:

In creating documents with the elderly in mind, remember that, for many of them, reading can be an adversity. The metamorphoses through which an old person’s eyes often go, such as choroidal neovascularization due to AMD, cause a great hindrance to the older reader. Consequently, documents should be developed toward the aim of maximal visibility for old people who cannot see.

For more information related to writing style, see the sections on format and highlighting information.

Further reading on writing style can be found in: