Question

For the purpose of this assignment, please choose a topic given this scenario below: Scenario: You have been working in a long-term care setting for quite a while now. You have noticed some things that need changing within the long. term care setting itself, the home and/or the community. You and your team are tasked with making a convincing 10-15 minute presentation to the Lead Nurse in your organization making a case to make a change to improve care for the elderly. Pick a narrow enough topic so that you can hone in on the specifics. Be as creative as you would like. Focusing in on your topic: Provide one reason why you need to change x, y or z for the elderly in the long-term care setting, the home or the community And then delve into the who, what, how, why, when and where for the new practice you propose Send your instructor a message once your team has picked a topic and wait for a message to confirm your topic. Please consult the attached:

Answer 1

Need of effective and soft communication skills in the long term care of elderly patients

1.Often we see that in case of long term caring process of elderly patients at home or at community center, the missing link is soft and effective communication. Since it is lengthy and tiring process for care takers , the patience is largely needed while dealing with elderly. But it causes huge emotional , physical and mental stress on care takers and family members. As a healthcare professionals,nursing staff,it is our duty to ease this process.

2. Coping up with emotional , physical and mental stress - It is pain to watch our close elderly relatives to pass through so much agony and sufferings. The care takers are determined to take care of elderly people but it is long term process and they need to be mentally prepared for long term battle

3.The nurse or healthcare professional is supposed to counseling of caretakers. They should be given clear understanding of required time frame of the caring process or sometimes it is lifelong process. The reality and clear understanding of situation will make them mentally prepared to face the matter. The care takers should be encouraged to ask questions if they have. In the beginning,they may or may not have questions but as an ongoing process, they may have many questions. Give them confidence that you are always available to slove any questions and to help them. There should not be any barrier in the communication.

4. If possible, prepare a FAQ list (frequently asked questions) related to disease and long term care and hand it over to care takers and family members. For e.g. For elderly patients who are paralysed or who have lost bladder and bowel control,tell them about bladder and bowel cleanliness. If patient is catheterised, tell them about catheter care, urine bag care,senior citizen diaper care etc.

5. In the long term caring process of elderly patients,often the care takers are under physical and mental stress. They have to take care of ailing elder person and themselves along with other personal and professional commitments. It may be emotionally tiring process for them. Nursing staff should visit them and counsel them regularly. Tell them that it is okay to take a break and hand over responsibility to other family members,sometime. They should take care of themselves. They should try to take adequate sleep. If they have any hidden worries, anxiety, ask them to discuss it with you or doctor. Share their problems ,discuss it with nurse or doctor so that solution can be found out. Remember, communication is the key.

6. While dealing with elderly patients, one may lose temper and it may be diificdif for elderly patients as well as they will feel helpless. Nursing staff should play an important role here as a connecting brindge between patient and caretaker. She will be an important listener for the patient as well as caretakers. Nurse should communicate the lifestyle measure ments ,diet requirements and psychological counseling parameters to both patient and caretakers so that both are well aware of the situation.

7. How to be at ease with situation - Nursing staff should counsel both patient and care takers separately about the situation and how to be at ease with it. Whatever is the disease which has already happened, needs to be dealt with courage and patience. Give them examples of other elderly patients and how are they dealing with life. Tell them motivational stories. Tell them about big leaders who have faced similar situations and how they have conquered the situation.

8. Arrange patient care programmes for caretakers, family members to enlighten them about the disease, treatment and management and lifestyle changes. Make yhem well equipped with information.

9.Help them with to do and not to do list .

10. Teach the caretaker about warning signs of complications and steps to deal with it. Tell them that reaching out to help and doctors is always their priority and it is their right also. They should be made comfortable and confident about health care services so that they don't have any inhibitons .

11. Lastly give them emergency helpline numbers like ambulance,fire brigade,police and hospital. Tell them that help is always call away and they should not at all hesitate to seek help when in trouble. Health care is basic right and every one should get it.