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How to communicate caregiving issues
Good communication skills are essential to successful caregiving. Learn how
to communicate more effectively with your care receiver, physicians and family
members.
In caregiving, good communication skills are essential to stay connected with
the care receiver. We must rely on our ability to listen, to obtain, interpret
and share information. In many cases, care receivers may have medical limitations
that render them unable to speak for themselves or access the assistance
and services they need. Approaching older persons or persons with disabilities
to talk about their personal care needs can be awkward and difficult. Care
providers who understand and practice the art of good communication can play
a pivotal role as advocates and/or mediators.
This section provides recommendations geared to improving dialogue and generating
positive outcomes for the care receiver and professionals with whom you may
be interacting. Good communication is the vital first step to resolution
of caregiving issues.
Communication tips: Caregiver - care receiver
Pick a quiet place and time to hold discussions with the care receiver.
Arrange a time when fatigue or worry are least intrusive. These factors can
disrupt the caregiver's ability to listen and the care receiver's ability
to focus on the message. Allow sufficient time for a conversation so you
do not feel pressed to hurry on to other commitments.
Be patient. The person you are caring for may not know how
to express himself/herself or communicate clearly and may have difficulty
in comprehending everything. An environment that helps the care receiver
feel safe will add to the quality of the conversation.
Make sure your care receiver is wearing glasses or hearing aids if he has
them, and they are in good working order. Speak slowly and look directly
into the eyes of the person with whom you are communicating. Be willing to
listen to the feelings, emotions and point of view of the care receiver.
Good listeners have an open mind and they respect differences of opinion.
It is okay to agree to disagree. You may reassure him or her by saying, "I
won't get mad and I will keep the discussion just between the two of us."
Acknowledge the care receiver's point of view and emotions. Be willing
to share your own feelings, emotions and viewpoints. Provide accurate and
truthful information to the care receiver without pointing blame if their
point of view differs from yours. Don't try to protect or beat around the
bush. Telling half-truths or making promises you cannot keep do not support
either of you.
Be prepared for conversations you know will be difficult. For example,
you know the time has come when your parents should no longer be driving
and you believe they will not be willing to give up the car keys. Being prepared
will reduce anxiety and increase your ability to listen.
Avoid interrupting or finishing sentences. This can make the other person
feel that what he has to say is not important.
Ask open-ended questions that do not limit the other person to a yes or
no response. Ask, for example, "How would you feel about having
a caregiver help you with some of your household tasks?"
Paraphrase or restate what you heard if you are unclear about a message.
For example, ask "Do you feel if you give up driving you won't be able
to...?"
Use the words the speaker uses. Doing this lets the person know you
respect their words. If the care receiver tells you they are down in the
dumps to describe a sad mood, use the same words. For example ask, "What's
making you feel down in the dumps?" or, "Tell me how it feels when
you are down in the dumps."
If a difficult decision needs to be made involving the person in your care,
write down key issues to help the care receiver understand how you feel about
the situation. Leave these notes behind to give the care receiver additional
time for decision making.
Listen to the message, how it is delivered and what type of body language
is involved. Don't think about what you plan to say next. If your thoughts
are about what you want to say, you are not fully listening to the one who
is speaking to you.
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