Aarhus University, Faculty of Arts, School of Communication and Culture
Abstract
The language we use with others derives from hidden assumptions about them and commands expectations and outcomes. That is why the constructs and language used in health services provided to the elderly are a worthwhile object of study.This paper addresses the language used in the services provided to the elderly population in Mexico and many other Latin-American countries. The psychological, linguistic and practical aspects of the wellbeing language paradigm are discussed. The linguistic analysis of the discourse used by health care providers conveys important implications to the kind, quality and purpose of intervention.It is argued that by using the language of wellness, health professionals are in a better position to listen and assess the degree of satisfaction and happiness, to explore for conditions that may promote or hinder quality of life, and also, they are in a better position for planning services to the elderly that reach beyond physical health and economic indicators.It is posited that quality of life in old age is incomplete without a sense of the patient’s wellbeing
