Identify at least two modes of communication you have used for the elderly in your clinical practice. State what modes of communication were effective and which modes were challenging. Explain why.
Modes of Communication Used for The Elderly Clinical Practice
Two of the communication methods I use for older people in my clinical practice are listening and attending as well as non-verbal communication. Unequivocally, some people do not consider ” listening’” as a “communication.” For them, it seems strange that part of communication includes tranquility. However, listening is essential for excellent communication and is particularly crucial for one as a health care worker. I work closely with more elderly patients and often reveal vital things to me. In fact, some may prefer to use me instead of staff writing about what they feel or things that stress them because they need to know and trust me.
In addition, nonverbal communication is regularly represented by “body language’. Body language speaks volumes about the benefits and commitment of people in their communication. Despite the fact that people say the right things, the message can be lost if the body language suggests thinking of something completely different. The nonverbal communication of individuals speaks volumes about their benefit and commitment to the communication they have. It is essential that their posture, facial expression, outward appearance, and touch match the words they say (Standring, 2015).
Both methods were effective communication modes for me. This is because when listening and attending to the patients, I was able to understand the patients and treat them as per their needs. When it comes to body language as a non-verbal communication mode, I used different aspects such as body posture, eye contact, facial expression as well as touch. With a proper body posture and eye contact, the elderly people will feel conformable and trust the clinical officer so that they can get treated. Approaching them with a smile, a body language that shows that as a clinical officer, one is ready to help them, they will communicate their problem clearly, and that will help in treating them well (Ganasegeran et al., 2017).
Professor question to my assignment:
Please elaborate on what exactly you mean by “listening and attending”.