Effective Communication Strategies for Alzheimer's Patients: A Report

This report delves into the crucial aspects of communication within healthcare, specifically focusing on effective strategies for interacting with Alzheimer's patients and diverse client groups. It highlights the significance of effective communication in social work and healthcare settings, emphasizing its role in establishing trust, identifying needs, and improving the quality of life for individuals and communities. The report explores various communication methods, including listening, written communication, questioning, verbal, and non-verbal techniques. It underscores the importance of communication skills such as active listening, clear explanations, and empathy, while also referencing models like the Shannon and Weaver model and theories like Maslow's hierarchy to provide a comprehensive understanding. The report also addresses challenges faced when communicating with Alzheimer's patients and suggests approaches to overcome these, such as using positive reinforcement, one-word questions, and non-verbal cues. Ultimately, the report aims to equip healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary for fostering meaningful and effective communication with patients, leading to improved patient care and outcomes.

Communicating with Different Client Groups

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
Different communication methods..............................................................................................3
Significance of effective communication....................................................................................5
Communication skills..................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
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INTRODUCTION
Social works and health care is an organization, where the purpose is to develop the
quality of life, improve the well-being of the community or an individual or a group. These
organization uses different policies, researches or some direct practices by which they can
identify the ways by which they can improve the quality of life. Effective communication is very
essential in identifying the needs and the requirement of people (Cahill, 2014). Lack of these
communication can reduce the clients or losing their trust in the social work they are doing.
There are various communication methods, which can be used by the organization in
communicating with different groups. Different skills of communication can be used to work
more effectively and efficiently with the clients, which will give very positive outcomes and very
rare missed opportunities.
TASK 2
Different communication methods
Communication is very effective method to connect with the patient suffering from
Alzheimer disease. Effective communication is the way we say things to other, like our tone of
voice, presentation of talking, position of our body etc. There are five major aspects, which can
used for an effective communication are;
Listen and attending: It is a very important part of communication, but some people don't
consider listening as a method of communication (Henderson and Mathew Byrne, 2016). Some
times it may happen that, patient wants to tell you something, because you are working very
close to him. The patients will not talk to the staff of hospitals, but they will talk to you, because
they trust you and they know you. If someone will not listen to them, it will be very difficult for
the staff or for others to communicate with them. Listening to a clients or a patient what they
want to say is a key skill in communication. The best way by which you can do in this
communication method is;
Use verbal and non-verbal techniques of communication, encourage the client or patient
to speak, encourage them with very smooth head nodding, and in a very positive manner. While
communicating with patients, the person should able to identify the key words from whatever the
patient is speaking like (Flint and et.al., 2015); lonely, scared, fed up or worried, In pain or
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scared. When the patients is finished in what they have to say, just reflect back in a positive way.
Make sure, he knows that you understood very clearly what he wanted to say. This will make
him a little comfortable.
Written communication: Health and social care services have to keep a good record of the
patients or clients in a written form. So that; the organization can make sure what type of
treatment the Alzheimer patient is getting and what can be done further to improve the safety of
that patient. The organization have to make sure that there should be an enough evidence in favor
of them, when the patient or client complained against them. The patient should be aware of
what kind of treatment he is getting (Bays and et.al., 2014). These written way of communication
can vary from place to place but the aim should remain the same; to attend the patient in such a
way that he feels comfortable and it should be very easy for him to communicate with others.
Questioning: This is another very important way by which the staff can communicate
with the client. There are two ways, the person can ask the question to the client, one is closed
question and other is open question. In asking closed question, the staff needs a simple answer in
yes or no, so that the patient will not feel uncomfortable. For example; if the patient needs water,
or if he needs extra pillow? In open question, the staff have to encourage the patients to speak a
little more about his condition. These questions are open because they make the person feel very
open up about his condition. For example; How you are feeling? Is there anything which is
troubling you? By this way the patient will tend to speak a little more. If the client is responding
well than the member can ask some more questions which will give them a brief idea about the
condition of the client.
Verbal communication: In these communication, the person have to be very focused and
clear attention should be given to patient. The staff should be very clear, accurate and honest
about what they want to say. In doing verbal communication, the tone of voice, the body
language should be such that, the patient will feel very easy in talking (Arnold and et.al., 2015).
The person should be talking in a very respectful manner and in a very effective way. The patient
should be encouraged time and time again to speak. He should feel very easy in communicating
with you.
Non-verbal communication: This can be described as the body language of the person. It
can tell a lot about the person, the way of talking, the body posture, the way of telling the things
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to the patients. The person should be very focused and should give full attention to the client
while talking. The social worker should maintain a good eye contact with the patient. This make
the patient feel that you are interested in talking to him. Facial expression is also very important.
The worker should not yawn while talking to patient or he should not roll his eyes here and there.
The worker should be aware of his facial expression.
Significance of effective communication
Effective communication is very important and essential in establishing a good
connection with the patient who is suffering from Alzheimer disease. This will help in
developing a good relationship with the clients so that they can feel very comfortable in talking
to you and they can share the things with you, but not with the staff of the hospital (Khan and
et.al., 2016). To provide or gain some information, effective communication is important (Weber
and Farrell, 2016). To make sure that patient is feeling good and healthy and to monitor the
health, effective communication is necessary. There are some models, which can be used in
communicating with the patients having Alzheimer disease, but the best model is Shannon and
Weaver model.
This model was called as mother of all models. The sources used in this model are
encoder, channel, decoder, receiver and noise. Encoder is the one who sends the message, means
the patient is the one who is encoder here. Because he is facing the problems so, he will tell the
worker about his problems. Channel is the process by which the message is delivered to doctor.
Either it will be on phone, or it will be by a third person. Decoder is the one who gives the
solution to the problem the patient is facing, so doctor is the decoder here. Receiver, who
receives the treatment and that is the patient. These are the sources used by the model in the
communication with the patient which is suffering from Alzheimer.
Alzheimer is a disease which can diminishes the ability of the patient to communicate.
The person who is communicating with the patient requires good listening skills, patience and
good understanding (Hiller, Delany and Guillemin, 2015.). The problems social worker can face
from a patient having Alzheimer are; the worker might find very hard to find the right word, the
patient can use same words again and again, so this will also create problem. The patient speaks
very less so it will be difficult in knowing the condition of the patients. The patient might find it
very hard to speak, and whatever he is speaking, it will be more difficult for the worker to
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organize the words. To communicate with that person, the worker can use some verbal
techniques. He can tell the patient to speak in a positive and encouraging way.
The worker should not make assumptions about the condition of the patient. Because in
Alzheimer, each patient can face different type of effect. Speak direct to the person about the
well being. Let the person speak, give him some time to speak and listen very carefully what he
wants to say. Later on it will be very difficult for understand what he was saying, if you are not
listening carefully (Fujimori and at.al., 2014). Ask the question which can only be answered in
one word, like would he like to have some tea? Should he want something to eat? Always ask
one question at a time from the patient, so that it will be easy for him to answer.
The social worker can use non verbal communication also. This will include the eye
contact, body language, a relax and open stance, and a friendly voice tone, so that the patient will
feel very easy in communicating. The worker can make an eye contact with the patient. The
patient will feel safe and he will tell the things because he will think you are interested in
listening (Communication skills., 2017). This will help in understanding the problem of the
patient, and will be easy to find the solution of the problems, he is facing. Abraham Maslow's
theory can be used in communicating with a patient having Alzheimer disease. This will help in
understanding the human behavior and will help in motivating and encouraging the person to
speak. This theory is based on the principle that the life of a patient can be evaluated on an
individual level, so that his life can be improved.
Communication skills
Being able to communicate with the patient very effectively and in efficient manner is the
most important skill, social worker should have. Communication effectively means able to
understand the condition of other person. This can be done either vocally, in written, visually or
by various non verbal techniques. There are several communication skills by which the worker
can communicate with Alzheimer's patient (Rus-Calafell, Gutiérrez-Maldonado and Ribas-
Sabaté, 2014). These skills are developed so that it will be easy to understand the patient's
present condition and can find the solution according to that. To deal with an Alzheimer patient,
the worker must have the good listening skills. This is because the patient is not able to speak
properly, and he will speak very slow. It will be very difficult for the worker to understand. The
worker have to have patience, and should listen to the patient very carefully and understand hi.
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And his problems. Another skill is explaining the situation to the patient. In such cases, the
patient is not aware of the environment and he is not able to know what is going on around him.
So the worker should be capable enough to explain this situation to patient.
The worker should give good reflection to the patient. This means that the gesture of the
social worker should be very friendly. He should treat the patient very carefully. This will help in
relaxing the condition of the patient. Social worker should ask the question also. This will help
them in knowing the condition of the patient. The person should ask both open question and
close question (Griffiths and et.al., 2015). First he should starts with asking an close question. If
he finds that the patient is responsive, then he should go on to ask close question. He should
encourage the patient to speak. Good communication skills also means that whatever you are
saying should be very clear and the patient should be able to understand it. Social worker should
be very friendly. The patient should feel like he is talking to his friend and can easily tell
everything. Worker should have empathy for the patient. He should respect the view point of the
patient. If patient is feeling or saying something, then the worker should understand from his
point of view. Proper empathy should be given to the patient, even if you are not agreeing form
his thoughts.
Each member of the team should respect the person who is suffering from disease. The
patient will be more open in communicating to the worker, if he convey respect for the patient.
Make an eye contact, listen very actively can make the patient feel happy and all these gesture
should be appreciated. It is very necessary that the environment around the patient should be
very friendly (Gillis, Morris and Ridgway, 2014.). Make the patient laugh, do some gestures so
that he will feel happy. By such kind of things the patient will feel more relaxed and the
condition of the patient can also be improved. The social worker should also tell the patient
about himself. Self disclosure is also important. All these skills can be used while
communicating with the patient, and make the communication more effective. This will help the
organization or hospital in knowing the condition of the patient. As well as the patient will feel
that he is at safe place and he is getting proper treatment.
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CONCLUSION
From this essay, it has been concluded that effective communication is must in knowing
the present condition of the patient. There are various methods by which one can communicate
with other like listening, questioning, understanding etc. It is very necessary that one should
understand the condition from the patient's point of view. Abraham Maslow's theory is used here
in making communication more effective. Shannon Weaver model can be used in developing a
good understanding with the patient. Communication skills used in this essay is very easy and
very effective, the patient was feeling safe while communicating with the Social worker.
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REFERENCES
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