How to Help the Person with Right Hemisphere Communication Impairment
Please be vigilant to the possibility of communication impairment in those who have sustained right hemisphere brain injuries. The problems may not be immediately apparent but can nonetheless have a significant impact upon interaction and interpersonal relationships.
The person’s social skills may be affected and they may superficially present as difficult, unfriendly or impolite. This may not actually be intended by the person.
Reduce distractions when communicating important information.
Do not give too much information at once. Use short, clear sentences repeating as necessary.
When speaking with the person who has right hemisphere communication impairment, try to say what you mean, avoid use of ‘sayings’ and ‘hints’ (metaphor, idiom, proverbs and inference).
Be careful with humour and sarcasm; this may be misinterpreted, the person may not realise something is a joke, they may become upset or get confused.
If the person appears confused by what you have said, explain again using clear, straightforward language.
Do not expect the person to be able to read subtle, non-verbal communication (body language, facial expression, voice intonation); they may get it wrong. Equally, their non-verbal communication may not match up with their communication intent.
Recognise that the person may be unaware they have these difficulties.