Older persons' perceptions of the frequency and meaning of elderspeak from family, friends, and service workers.

Older persons (N = 159) were surveyed for their impressions of and experiences with elderspeak from friends, same-age family members, younger family members, familiar service workers, and unfamiliar service workers. Two dimensions, "warmth" and "superiority," emerged in the judgments of elderspeak from all five speaker types. Respondents perceived more warmth and less superiority in elderspeak from friends than they did in elderspeak from unfamiliar service workers.