It is important to be clear and concise at all times when working in dementia care. Body language Posture and gestures are a very important part of communication. For example it is important to maintain an open posture and avoid sudden movements when attempting to De-escalate a situation in which an individual is exhibiting verbally or physically aggressive behavior.
Visual aids Flash cards and other visual aids are useful for basic communication with individuals who have difficulty with verbal communication. For instance, I had a existent who only spoke Mandarin and also had difficulty forming words. I made some flash cards with pictures of a toilet, food, drinks, happy and sad faces etc. To enable her to communicate with me more effectively.
Identify five different reasons why people communicate:
- To express needs
- To express wishes and preferences
- To establish relationships
- To establish mutual understanding and trust
- To maintain a feeling of inclusion and control
Give two reasons why it is important to observe the reactions of an individual using the service when you are communicating with them.
- To ensure that they understand what is being said if they appear confused then it may be useful to rephrase or use visual aids.
- To identify any unmet needs for example if a service user appears agitated they may be struggling to communicate what they want or need, or perhaps that they are in pain.
In this instance it would be useful to use an alternative means of communication such as pain scales, gestures or visual aids.
Explain why it is important to find out about an individuals:
- communication and language This is important to ensure that we are using the most appropriate means of immunization. For example, if a service user is hard of hearing then it may be useful to know if they are able to lip-read. Additionally, if a service user speaks a different language or has difficulty with speech then it may be appropriate to use visual aids and gestures (while being mindful of any cultural differences which may cause offence)
- wishes and preferences If, for example, a service user prefers assistance from a female (or male) career and also has difficulty communicating effectively, then it may cause unnecessary distress or lead to Hellenizing behavior to provide personal care from the opposite gender.
Equally, my organization is owned by the Methodist church and as such provides regular church services. It may cause great offence to subject a service user to this if they are not religious or are of a different religion.
