Effective Communication Strategies for Elderly Healthcare: An Essay

This essay provides a comprehensive analysis of communication skills within the context of elderly healthcare. It begins by defining communication and emphasizing its importance in delivering quality healthcare services, highlighting its impact on patient satisfaction and treatment outcomes. The essay identifies and examines various barriers to effective communication faced by support workers when interacting with elderly individuals, including social obstacles, specific disabilities, and psychological transitions. It then outlines effective communication skills, such as active listening, patience, and respect, and discusses resources like Health Information Exchange (HIE) and therapeutic communication techniques that can facilitate better communication. The essay concludes by reiterating the crucial role of good communication in the healing process and emphasizes the need for healthcare providers to prioritize clear, respectful, and patient-centered communication strategies to enhance the well-being of elderly patients. The essay references several sources to support its arguments.

Running head: Communication Skills
Communication Skills

Communication Skills
Contents
Introduction..................................................................................................................................................2
Barriers in working with elderly people........................................................................................................2
Understanding of target group and identification of barriers to communication...................................2
Social obstacles and stereotypes-.............................................................................................................3
Lack of consideration of support workers regarding the specific disabilities-..........................................3
Unwillingness to follow the instructions of the support workers-............................................................3
Unwilling to communicate with the elderly people -................................................................................3
Psychological transitions and disorders-...................................................................................................4
Communication Skills..................................................................................................................................4
Understanding of Targeted Client Group..................................................................................................4
Identification of effective communication skills required when communicating with target client group
..................................................................................................................................................................4
Identifying resources that may assist with communication......................................................................5
Health Information Exchange (HIE)-.........................................................................................................5
Therapeutic communication techniques-.................................................................................................5
Conclusion....................................................................................................................................................5
Referencing..................................................................................................................................................6
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Communication Skills
Introduction
Communication can be defined as a process with the help of which information, ideas or
feelings are exchanged between individuals through a common system of signs, symbols or
behavior. Communication is the main element for providing good quality healthcare services
leading to satisfaction of the elderly people . It is a multi-dimensional, dynamic and multifactorial
phenomenon related to the atmosphere in which there is a sharing of experiences of the
individuals. The support workers have paid lots of attention to communication and interaction in
nursing.
The element of effective communication is an important phenomenon in the care of
patients. It helps in improving the relationship between support workers and elderly people. It
has also influenced the perceptions of the elderly people regarding the quality of health care and
the outcomes of the treatment. It is the main component of satisfaction amongst the elderly
people (Loke, Lai & Fung, 2012).
So, in this essay, the barriers perceived by the support workers in communicating with
elderly people would be assessed. Moreover, the effective communication skills required for
interacting with the target client group would be analyzed along with the identification of the
resources that may assist in communication.
Barriers in working with elderly people
Effective communication skills of support workers with elderly people are essential for
proving health care services and can have positive results including reduced anxiety, pain, guilt
and symptoms of diseases. They can help in enhancing the satisfaction of the elderly people along
with their acceptance and compliance of the instructions of the medical team.
Understanding of target group and identification of barriers to
communication
As per Norouzinia et al., (2016) the barriers perceived by the support workers in
communicating with senior citizens can include reduced mobility and needs relating to sensory
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Communication Skills
and cognizance. The language barriers are also perceived during the stay of the elderly people in
the hospitals.
Social obstacles and stereotypes- The cultural pluralism has also influenced the
communication skills of the support workers with the elderly people. Some of the barriers of
communication include low educational background, inappropriate policies of the government
and improper environment along with the bad experience relating to the previous exposure of the
elderly people with the support workers (Sánchez et al., 2013).
Lack of consideration of support workers regarding the specific disabilities-
The elderly people might face the problem in speaking or hearing clearly. Often the other people
are unable to understand what the elders are trying to say. This could be due to hearing trouble,
dental pain or the side effects of the stroke. This may be a big language barrier for support
workers.
Unwillingness to follow the instructions of the support workers- If
complicated terminology is used while communicating with the elderly people then they may stop
to follow the instructions of the support workers. The attitude of the elderly people can prove to
be a barrier to communicate with them. They may start feeling defensive about the situation that
may motivate them to stop the conversation (Jara et al., 2013).
Furthermore, the most barriers to communication can be the support workers being
overburdened, shortage of support workers and shortage of time. The lack of time increases their
workload that in turn affects the relationship between the elderly people and support workers
(Kamada et al., 2013).
Unwilling to communicate with the elderly people -The support workers
might be unwilling to communicate and understand the needs of the elderly people. The low
income of the support workers might be a barrier in communication with the patients. Lack of
facilities of welfare for the support workers might decrease their satisfaction hence reducing the
quality of healthcare provision.
Understanding of targeted client group and identification of effective communication
skills required when communicating with them
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Communication Skills
Psychological transitions and disorders- The old age people might confront multiple
issues related to physical and mental health. They might be suffering from loss of hearing,
impairment of the vision, Alzheimer or dementia. While treating the elderly people, the support
workers should not assume about the capabilities of the elderly people and comprehend their
conditions and situations that may differ from person to person (Siracuse et al., 2012).
Communication Skills
Understanding of Targeted Client Group
In order to avoid the barriers in communication, the support workers should start with the
appropriate body posture that might feel the elderly people comfortable. They should directly be
seated opposite to the patient that will help in improving communication by reducing the
distractions and sending the message that the team has been focusing on the client entirely.
Identification of effective communication skills required when communicating
with target client group
The care providers must learn to exercise their patience while treating elderly people. If
the communication becomes repetitive, the care providers must decelerate their speech. They
must speak in clear words to the client is able to understand the conversation (Vahid et al., 2016).
The support workers must show proper respect to the elderly people as the feelings prove
to be an indispensable element during their treatment. They must also learn to practice active
listening skills and remember that both the parties might face difficulty to interact with each
other. The body language of the caregivers should be friendly so that they can acknowledge the
communication without interruptions.
Identifying resources that may assist with communication
Health Information Exchange (HIE)- As per Williams (2013), the resources required for
communicating with older elderly people in a better way can be with the help of electronic
communication system known as Health Information Exchange (HIE)(Mordoch et al., 2013).
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Communication Skills
Therapeutic communication techniques- The therapeutic communication techniques
can also be used as resources for communicating with elderly people. The elderly people can be
provided with support and information thereby maintaining a level of distance and objectivity
from them. The settings of the residential care should be such that they feel comfortable to enable
a smooth flow of communication amongst the elderly and support workers (Suryadevara et al.,
2012).
Conclusion
This essay can be concluded by saying that good communication is a crucial part of the
healing process. Many benefits can be derived from effective communication with the elderly
people in the residential care. It would enhance the satisfaction of the elderly people and they
would file fewer malpractice suits.
For better communication with elderly people, extra time should be spent with them.
Distractions should be avoided so that the elderly people feel that they are important. Eye contact
should be maintained and the support workers should have good listening skills. They should
speak clearly, loudly and slowly.
Referencing
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Communication Skills
Jara, A. J., Lopez, P., Fernandez, D., Zamora, M. A., Ubeda, B. & Skarmeta,
A. F. (2013). Communication protocol for enabling continuous monitoring of elderly people
through near field communications. Interacting with Computers, 26(2), 145-168.
Kamada, M., Kitayuguchi, J., Inoue, S., Ishikawa, Y., Nishiuchi, H., Okada,
S.& Shiwaku, K. (2013). A community-wide campaign to promote physical activity in middle-
aged and elderly people: a cluster randomized controlled trial. International Journal of
Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 10(1), 44.
Loke, A. Y., Lai, C. K. & Fung, O. W. M. (2012). At‐home disaster
preparedness of elderly people in Hong Kong. Geriatrics & gerontology international, 12(3),
524-531.
Mordoch, E., Osterreicher, A., Guse, L., Roger, K. & Thompson, G. (2013).
Use of social commitment robots in the care of elderly people with dementia: A literature
review. Maturitas, 74(1), 14-20.
Norouzinia, R., Aghabarar, M., Shiri, M. , Karimi, M. & Samami, E.(2016).
Communication Barriers Perceived by Nurses and Patients. Global Journal of Health Science,
8(6),65-74.
Sánchez, A., Millán-Calenti, J. C., Lorenzo-López, L. & Maseda, A. (2013).
Multisensory stimulation for people with dementia: a review of the literature. American Journal
of Alzheimer's Disease & Other Dementias, 28(1), 7-14.
Siracuse, J. J., Odell, D. D., Gondek, S. P., Odom, S. R., Kasper, E. M.,
Hauser, C. J. & Moorman, D. W. (2012). Health care and socioeconomic impact of falls in the
elderly. The American Journal of Surgery, 203(3), 335-338.
Suryadevara, N. K., Gaddam, A., Rayudu, R. K. & Mukhopadhyay, S. C.
(2012). Wireless sensors network based safe home to care elderly people: Behaviour
detection. Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, 186, 277-283.
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Vahid, J., Vahid, P., Azad, R., Lynnette, L.C. & Eesa,M.(2016).
Communication between residential aged care facilities and the emergency department: A review
of the literature. International Journal of Medical Research & Health Sciences, 5(8), 346-355.
Williams, K.(2013). Evidence-based Strategies for Communicating with
Older Adults in Long-term Care. Journal of Clinical Outcomes Management ,20(11),507-512.
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