Assess speech clarity and both expressive and receptive language during conversation.
Identify the primary language and any interpreter need, and use a qualified medical interpreter — not a family member — for clinical information and consent.
Check functional hearing and vision for the purposes of care (can the patient hear instructions and read materials), and confirm aids are used.
Screen health literacy — teach-back reveals true comprehension better than a yes/no question.
Identify and arrange accommodations — large print, an interpreter, hearing-aid use, or an augmentative device — and reconcile findings with the neurologic and sensory assessments.
