Cue Cards or Communication Cards are visual tools that can be used to overcome communication difficulties with clients living with dementia. They assist and support caregivers, staff and volunteers to engage with the person in their care.
Cue Cards or Communication Cards are visual tools that can be used to overcome communication difficulties with clients living with dementia. They assist and support caregivers, staff and volunteers to engage with the person in their care.


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Rebecca P. 29th Dec 2022
Your cards are good, and I applaud you for attempting to provide additional resources to people who are struggling with the care of a loved one or patients. However, I need to stress the importance of a speech therapy evaluation in this instance. Our job is to determine the best mode of communication for patients. For example, some patients no longer have the eye sight for detailed pictures, and need large print icons. Conversely, some patients don’t understand the abstract nature of icons, and need pictures. And how many pictures/icons can the patient use before becoming visually overwhelmed? If presented with too many choices, it can increase agitation. It is a speech therapist’s job to work through all of that, and more. You have such great resources here, please just know your speech therapists are a resource for everyone, also. We are here to support not only patients, but caregivers.
katherine 29th Jun 2021 Leisure & Lifetyle Coordinator
So amazed and thankful that we have this site to get great resources we need. One of my resident lost her speech and couldn't communicate. I found this clue card I'm looking for to use for her. So happy! Thank you very much Golden Carers!!!
Karen Modisett 22nd Mar 2021
I appreciate that you were offering this information. I wondered why black and white images are preferred. Perhaps it's because it's the simplicity of the design. And the cost for printing. I just wondered what the diagnostic reason was.

One thing is that they can't be saved as separate pages. I'll have to print them and scan them and then place them in the document.

Again thanks for your help.
Melva 18th Jan 2023 Activity Director
I cut them out and used the enlarge option on our copy machine. I then laminated them used a hole punch and a zip tie to keep them together. Almost like flip cards. It works until speech therapy comes up with something else.
Hope this helps.
Alison 28th Feb 2021 Allied Health Assistant
I have started to use these with patients on a psycho-geriatric ward. I feel that how the patient is feeling is so open to misinterpretation by medical staff simply because useful communication tools have not been considered. These cards are an amazing start in an attempt to break down some of the communication barriers however encouraging medical staff to get on board is unfortunately the main challenge. Can anyone recommend even more communication cue cards that might be available. So simple but soon effective. Many Thanks.
Talita 1st Mar 2021
Hi Alison, I find that if you search for 'communication cards' and then look in images tab of google you get a lot of relevant results. Some are free and some you have to buy.

The multicultural ones shared previously are also great:
https://www.healthtranslations.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcht.nsf/PresentDetail?Open&s=Cue_Cards

Good luck, I hope it all works out well.
Julianne 28th Oct 2019 diversional therapist
I have been using these cue cards and they are excellent.
I would like to fine sentence in other languages. Does anyone have any ideas or where I could get this
Shannon 29th Jan 2019 Information Coordinator
There are 40+ languages available here https://www.easternhealth.org.au/services/language-services/cue-cards/item/152 in 2 different formats.

And our library has a wide range of communication cards and guides at https://library.mac.org.au we often recommend lifestyle workers to borrow the product from us to trial it, before purchasing it, as many of the products on the market can be quite pricey!
Solange 31st Jan 2019 Diversional Therapist
Thank you, Shannon, for sharing this priceless information.
Miriam 27th Jan 2019
These are awesome and perfect for my client who has Parkinson's and difficulty verbally communicating his needs in the middle of the night. Thank you so much for sharing these with us!
Talita 27th Jan 2019
Thank you so much for your feedback Miriam!
Sally 5th Sep 2018 Lifestyle Coordinator
Only today my boss asked me to source and make cue cards for a Russian resident who has recently come to the high care facility where I work, she is in advanced stage of dementia and already reverted back to her native language of Russian, within days another resident joins us and she's German! This sight is amazing! Hopefully these residents' lives will be enriched and their ability to communicate to me their needs, easier! Thank you so much
Talita 8th Sep 2018
Sally this is wonderful to hear! Thank you so much for your feedback!
Wendy 23rd Oct 2017 Lifestyle
Great, thanks heaps they are perfect just what i was looking for
Talita 28th Oct 2017
That's great to hear - thanks so much for your feedback Wendy!
Jennifer 22nd Feb 2017 Director Of Activities
This site has over 50 language cue cards in several formats. I print and laminate and then hole punch and put a ring binder for easy use.

http://www.healthtranslations.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcht.nsf/PresentDetail?Open&s=Cue_Cards
Talita 27th Feb 2017
Great tip Jennifer, thanks for posting this link.
Co.As.It Community Services Inc. 14th Jun 2016 Aged Care and Community Services
Hi everyone, we have a great set of Italian language ones also available on our website which you can access for free. There are also many other resources available to share.

http://www.coasit.asn.au/cald-resources/
Michelle 17th May 2016 Activities Coordinator
We are also looking at using these card for patients who have had strokes and MS and that is only the spectrum we have so far. We are going to speak to our colleagues in young adult services to see if any of their communication cards could be adapted to meet our needs and vice a versa
Talita 18th May 2016
What a great idea Michelle - even more applications for the cue cards we hadn't thought of. If we can help you in anyway to adapt them to different needs, let us know.
karen 13th May 2016 activity specialist
Great idea thanks can't wait to give it a try
Talita 11th May 2016
Thanks everyone! Yes great feedback - the communication cards are suitable for people with hearing impairment and those from non English speaking backgrounds.
Patrice 10th May 2016 Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist
This is great...Love the idea...Thank you for sharing.
Carol 10th May 2016 Recreational Activity Officer Coordinator
Not only for people who have dementia but people who have a hearing impairment, for people whose first language isn't English, perfect idea thank you, Well Done!
Heather 10th May 2016
Love this idea. Thanks for sharing.
Talita 10th May 2016
Thanks for all the feedback, it is very much appreciated!
JASHMINE 10th May 2016 Diversional Therapist
perfect idea.....thank you
Bronwyn 10th May 2016 Diversional Therapist
Perfect....Great resource!!
Amber 10th May 2016 Lifestyle Coordinator
This is great. I have found it hard to find good communication cards in the past but these are perfect. Well Done!
Elsa 10th May 2016 Activities Coordinator
This is also quite helpful for people whose first language isn't english. We were just discussing this during our last meeting. Thank you very much for this!
Satomi 10th May 2016 Carer / Activity Coordinator
Great. Thanks. Not only for people who have dementia but people who have hearing impairment would benefit from these cards. I'll talk to CNC and managers. Satomi
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