COMMUNICATION BETWEEN NURSES AND THE ELDERLY - PRESENT AND FUTURE
Abstract
The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined communication quality as one of the five essential skills for a healthy and happy life. Quality communication is particularly important in healthcare, especially for those who have communication difficulties, the majority of whom are elderly individuals. Communication problems among the elderly range from those seeking to prevent the development of communication difficulties to those who already experience challenges such as dysarthria, aphasia, and hearing loss. This study aimed to examine the problems in communication between nurses and the elderly. We searched the PubMed and Embase databases using the keywords: "communication," “adults,” "elderly," and "nurses." The findings suggest that nurses' assistance to the elderly in overcoming communication problems is crucial. It is important to understand the specifics of communication, the basic communication rules with the elderly, and the problems the elderly face in conducting communication adequately. The findings support the idea that nurses can significantly help overcome communication barriers by choosing appropriate strategies, such as repetition, noise elimination, and environmental control, especially in addressing sensory issues. To improve communication between nurses and the elderly, it is necessary to assess all communication barriers, prejudices, beliefs, fears, and the identity of the elderly. Some studies suggest new research topics, revealing that screening to assess sensory functions in the elderly is insufficiently applied and that practical activities within the care of the elderly with sensory impairment are not always utilized. Changing such nursing practices would greatly improve communication and the quality of care for the elderly.
References
Company, 2010.
2. Mićović P. Komunikacija. Zdravstvena zaštita. 2009; 38(6): 75-85. https://doi.org/10.5937/ZZ0906075M
3. Yorkston KM, Bourgeois MS, Baylor CR. Communication and aging. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N
Am. 2010; 21(2):309-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmr.2009.12.011
4. Milićević M. Karakteristike neverbalne komunikacije u interakciji lekara i pacijenta. PONS –
medicinski časopis. 2018; 15(2): 79-85. https://doi.org/10.5937/pomc15-15735
5. Kekuš D, Stanisavljević S, Joković S. Primerenost terapijske i informativne komunikacije nivou
zdravstvene pismenosti korisnika zdravstvenih usluga. Sestrinska reč. 2017; 21(75): 4-7. https://doi.org/10.5937/SestRec1775004K
6. Ignjević M, Kekuš D. Komunikacija članova zdravstvenog tima sa bolesnikom u toku preoperativne pripreme. 2019; 22(79): 13-7. https://doi.org/10.5937/sestRec1979013I
7. Šarić Đ, Klikovac T, Zekavica B, Pantić-Aksentijević S, Gulan M, Korora J, Imbronjev V,
Duboka D, Bondžić V. Preporuke RSK za podršku pacijentima dobra komunikacija sa
pacijentima.Beograd, 2018.
8. Kulić Lj, Kulić S, Arsić-Komljenović G, Anđelski H, Šijan-Gobeljić M i saradnici. Problemi u
komunikaciji sa bolesnikom i njegovom porodicom. Zdravstvena zaštita. 2013; 42(5): 16-24. https://doi.org/10.5937/ZZ1305016K
9. Kourkouta L, Papathanasiou I. V. Communication in nursing practice. Materia socio-medica.
2014; 26(1): 65–67. https://doi.org/10.5455%2Fmsm.2014.26.65-67
10. Ranković-Vasiljević R, Stojanović-Jovanović B, Terzić-Marković B. Metodika i organizacija
zdravstvene nege. Beograd: Visoka zdravstvena štola, 2015.
11. Alvernia University. 4 types of communcation styles. Posted: march 27, 2018. Available from:
https://online.alvernia.edu/articles/4-types-communication-styles/#:~:text=There%20are%20 four% 20basic% 20communication, and%20why%20individuals%20use%20them. (15.12.2023.)
12. Kekuš D. Zdravstveno vaspitanje. Beograd. Autorsko izdanje, 2009.
13. Nekić M, Tucak Junaković I, Ambrosi-Randić N. Korištenje interneta u starijoj dobi: Je li
važno za uspješno starenje? Suvremena psihologija. 2016; 19(2):179-193.
https://doi.org/10.21465/2016-SP-192-04
14. Komunikacija sa starijim osobama. Dostupno putem: https://www.hrstud.unizg.hr/ download/repository/Psihologija_starenja/7%20 Komunik_tekst.pdf (16.12.2023.)
15. Sprangers S, Dijkstra K, Romijn-Luijten A. Communication skills training in a nursing home:
effects of a brief intervention on residents and nursing aides. Clin Interv Aging. 2015; 10:311-9. https://doi.org/10.2147/cia.s73053
16. Komunikacijske veštine u radu sa starim osobama. Dostupno putem:
http://www.avalalux.rs/magazin/komunikacijske-vestine-u-radu-sa-starim-osobama/
(16.12.2023.)
17. Niska A. Common Communication Problems in Seniors. Available from:
https://www.loveinhomeseniorcare.com/common-communication-problems-in- seniors/#:~:text=Reduced%20communication%20introduces%20a%20whole,issues%2 C%20and%20inability%20to%20write. (17.12.2023.)
18. Löhler J, Cebulla M, Shehata-Dieler W, Volkenstein S, Völter C, Walther LE. Hearing
Impairment in Old Age. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2019; 116(17): 301-310. https://doi.org/10.3238%2Farztebl.2019.0301
19. Guerra-Zúñiga M, Cardemil-Morales F, Albertz-Arévalo N, Rahal-Espejo M. Explanations for
the non-use of hearing aids in a group of older adults. A qualitative study. Acta Otorrinolaringol
Esp. 2014;65(1):8-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.otoeng.2014.02.013
20. Silagi ML, Peres AR, Schochat E, Mansur LL. Communication map of elderly people
Sociodemographic and cognitive-linguistic aspects. Dement Neuropsychol. 2013; 7(4):380-386. https://doi.org/10.1590%2FS1980-57642013DN74000005
21. Horng CT, Ma JW, Shieh PC. Improvement of Presbyopia Using a Mixture of Traditional
Chinese Herbal Medicines, Including Cassiae Semen, Wolfberry, and Dendrobium
huoshanense. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021; https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/9902211
22. Heine C, Erber NP, Osborn R, Browning CJ. Communication perceptions of older adults with
sensory loss and their communication partners: implications for intervention. Disabil Rehabil.
2002;24(7):356-363. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638280110096250
23. Banović S, Zunić LJ, Sinanović O. Communication Difficulties as a Result of Dementia. Mater
Sociomed. 2018; 30(3):221-224. https://doi.org/10.5455%2Fmsm.2018.30.221-224
24. Sobral AIGDP, de Araújo CMT, Sobral MFF. Mild cognitive impairment in the elderly
Relationship between communication and functional capacity. Dement Neuropsychol.
2018;12(2):165-172. https://doi.org/10.1590%2F1980-57642018dn12-020009
25. Shaw CA, Gordon JK. Understanding Elderspeak: An Evolutionary Concept Analysis. Innov
Aging. 2021; 5(3):igab023. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igab023
26. Barber SJ, Lee SR. Stereotype Threat Lowers Older Adults' Self-Reported Hearing Abilities.
Gerontology. 2015;62(1):81-85. https://doi.org/10.1159/000439349
27. Goll JC, Charlesworth G, Scior K, Stott J. Barriers to social participation among lonely older
adults: the influence of social fears and identity. PLoS One. 2015;10(2):e0116664. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0116664
28. David D, Zoizner G, Werner P. Self-Stigma and Age-Related Hearing Loss: A Qualitative
Study of Stigma Formation and Dimensions. Am J Audiol. 2018; 27(1):126-136. https://doi.org/10.1044/2017_aja-17-0050
29. Wanko Keutchafo EL, Kerr J, Jarvis MA. Evidence of nonverbal communication between nurses and older adults: a scoping review. BMC Nurs. 2020; 19:53. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-020-00443-9
30. Höbler F, Argueta-Warden X, Rodríguez-Monforte M, Escrig-Pinol A, Wittich W, McGilton
KS. Exploring the sensory screening experiences of nurses working in long-term care homes
with residents who have dementia: a qualitative study. BMC Geriatr. 2018; 18(1):235. https://doi.org/10.1186%2Fs12877-018-0917-x
31. Andrusjak W, Barbosa A, Mountain G. Hearing and vision care provided to older people residing in care homes: a cross-sectional survey of care home staff. BMC Geriatr. 2021; 21(1):32. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-020-01959-0
32. Roets-Merken LM, Zuidema SU, Vernooij-Dassen MJFJ, Teerenstra S, Hermsen PGJM, Kempen GIJM, Graff MJL. Effectiveness of a nurse-supported self-management programme for dual sensory impaired older adults in long-term care: a cluster randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open. 2018; 8(1):e016674. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016674
33. Stojanović G, Vlaisavljević Ž, Terzić N, Maričić M, Stojanović D, Paunović V, Social isolation and loneliness among the elderly. Annals of Nursing. 2023; 1(3): 34-54. https://doi.org/10.58424/annnurs.krv.o5t.mo2
Copyright (c) 2024 Goran R Stojanovic, Milica Vasiljević Blagojević, Negra Terzić, Jelena Krstić, Željko Vlaisavljević, Dušan Stojanović
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Copyright
Authors who publish with ANNALS OF NURSING agree to the following terms:
1. The authors maintain the copyright for their work and provide the journal the right of first publication. Simultaneously, the work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY-SA 4.0), allowing others to share and acknowledge the authorship and initial publication in this journal.
2. Authors have the option to engage in separate contractual agreements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work. This may include posting it to an institutional repository or publishing it in a book, with proper acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
3. Furthermore, authors are both permitted and encouraged to share their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) before and during the submission process. This practice can facilitate productive exchanges and contribute to earlier and increased citation of the published work.