What shall we talk about

The fun side of this job is that hopefully, you keep meeting new people. Of course, if they really like you and want you back to care for them, then you will have broken the communication barrier and this will not be a problem for you. So this post is to help you start a good flow of conversation at the outset.

A good place to start

First impressions count. Show warmth and friendliness and let this carry through in your body language. Let them be the focus of your attention. Enquire about their health or their family. Maintain eye contact but keep it relaxed. Be a good listener. Make sure you understand any requests they make by repeating it back to them so there is no confusion.

Useful topics of conversation

The golden rule has always been to avoid religion and politics. That is always sound advice. There is still plenty to talk about :

• gently ask them about themselves, they may have had fascinating careers or lived through significant world events (depending on the client you may not need the rest of this list as this item alone might keep them fully energised for the whole duration of your stay).   
• food and restaurants, local and all over the world
• holiday destinations and why they choose them
• music, including changes in taste of music as one gets older
• current sporting events e.g. football matches, horse races, Olympics
• pets and other animals 
• X-factor, The Voice, Great British Bake Off, Strictly Come Dancing or whatever current TV show or celebrity gossip or scandal (none of these will work if your client is an intellectual but  if things need spicing up these should do the trick one way or another) 

Total respect

It is a genuine privilege to spend time with these amazing people. They have wonderful stories to tell and we can honestly learn so much from them. Some of them were pioneers in industries or even present during the two world wars. Many of them can share incredible tales of courage and bravery when they were young. These people are so inspiring and they honestly deserve our absolute respect. It will be a most rewarding and enriching experience for you to listen to them and understand their world.