Report On Reflection When Doing Interview With A Patient In Age Care Unit

Report on Reflection When Doing Interview With a Patient in Age Care Unit

PATIENTS IN AGE CARE FACILITIES

Introduction

The term age care can be used interchangeably with the term elderly care which broadly means being involved with the special care that the senior people require. Senior people are those who have retired or are over the retirement age. Mainly covers an age group of people between the age of 60 and above and this varies between countries.

In the past elderly care was limited to the family and extended family but in the current world it’s undertaken by organizations that are non profits making. This drastic change has mainly affected the American countries due to changes in culture where by the women are being involved in careers and families are dispersed over far geographical areas. These types of non profit making organization include nursing homes and age care facilities.

The form of elder care provided varies greatly among countries and is changing rapidly. Even within the same country, regional differences exist with respect to the care for the elderly.

Most senior people if asked would prefer to get age in their homes. But this has proved difficult for their families since with age come lose of some forms of functionality thus requires assistance from the aging facilities.

Report on Reflection When Doing Interview With a Patient in Age Care Unit

Tips for effective Communication with the elderly

Communicating with the elderly is challenging. In my study, I had the opportunity to talk to a female elderly patient who is 86 years old, she has hearing impairment, but does not have any chronic diseases, and she always forgets what she said. She has been in age care for 15 years. Nevertheless it is worthwhile to talk to them since it leaves them feeling loved and may walk towards the end of life at peace. Below are some tips for effective communication with the seniors; (Dreher, 1984)

Physical abilities such as hearing, speaking, vision and memory decline with age. This makes communication with the elderly difficult. But in order to make it effective the listener ought to be very patient and totally attentive. Face them while talking to them and even include a hearing device to make them hear more effectively. (Blazer, 1978)

Elderly people may also experience low self esteem, irritability and moodiness, due to some feelings of loss of family and friends, loss of physical ability and lack of independence. These feelings affect communication and they should be noted at an early stage and treated to efficient communication. (Mills, 1979).

Elderly people should also be given time to talk and there opinions should be respected since they have come from a totally different generation from the one we are living in. (Chow, 1992.)

Report on Reflection When Doing Interview With a Patient in Age Care Unit

Conclusion

Communication with the elderly may be frustrating and a difficult task but with the correct verbal and non verbal communication strategies effective communication will be reached. When speaking to the elderly who have lost there physical capabilities; patience, clarity and non verbal signs could lead to effective communication. Don’t be in a hurry, don’t blame others, give them time to talk, and do not overload the conversation with old hurting issues of the past.

References

Blazer, D. (1978), ‘Techniques for communicating with your elderly patient’, PP 79-84 Caporael Publishers.

Dreher B (1984), Communicating with the Elderly. Wright State University.

PP 46.

Clark C. and Mills G. (1979). Toward healthy aging: Human Needs and Nursing Response‎ –

Page 340                                                   , McGraw-Hill Book Co, New York.

Susan De Vos (2001). Aging in East and West: Families, States, and the Elderly. Journal of Marriage and the Family, Vol. 63.

Report on Reflection When Doing Interview With a Patient in Age Care Unit

Chow W. (1992.) Family care of the elderly: social and cultural changes, Sage Publications, London, pp. 123–137.

Lau, E and J Kosberg. (1979) Abuse of the Elderly by Informal care givers. University of California. PP 10- 15