Explain The Importance Of Effective Communication In Health And Social Care

Superior Essays
This is an information sheet that will help explain the importance of effective communication in care home for the elderly. I will say how and why it is important and give examples.
Firstly I will explain what communication is: the process of sending or receiving information.
Next I will explain why we need to communicate.
Communication is important as it enables us to understand and share opinions and information.
Effective communication (e.g. communicating in a group and providing for everyone’s needs; using special communication if one requires it) is important as it allows everyone within a discussion, or a part of an environment to be informed and to feel involved and heard. This enables those within the community to build trust and
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There are five forms of interpersonal interaction; tone of voice, body language, space/proximity, gestures and eye contact. The use of each of these creates effective communication within health and social care settings, e.g. a care home, when used correctly.
Body language when listening to and advising a service user in a care home as a counsellor is important. One should sit in the SOLER position in order for the client to feel relaxed and respected. This would happen as the SOLER position is an effective way of showing interest in the other person within the conversation. The SOLER position requires the listener to look at the other person face on, with eye contact and an open body shape, as well as leaning forward and being relaxed.
Workers in care home should use a varied tone when having genera conversations with their service user. If a member of staff was to talk at a fixed tone, the other person would become uninterested and therefore could potentially miss important information. Whereas, if a care worker was to talk calm with a varying tone, they would enable the listener to feel interested in the
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When colleagues are communicating in the contexts of a group, some may have specific needs that need to be catered for, in order to work effectively and efficiently to provide appropriate services for their clients.
For example: one may not speak fluent English and therefore could be equipped with an information leaflet containing the context of the discussion in their preferred language. A disadvantage to this would be that it creates a barrier to communication as the member of staff would find it difficult to ask questions regarding the information provided. However, an advantage would be that the member of staff would feel included and a part of team.
Another example of communication needs and preferences would be using sign language, Makaton, pictures/symbols or writing for deaf people. For example: when giving messages to a service user who is deaf, depending on their preferences, a message from a relative could be provided in one of these forms. An advantage is that the staff at the care home would cater for their needs just like they would with able service users, which would allow the service user to feel satisfied as well as having the ability to communicate and involve themselves with daily activities. A disadvantage to using this type of special communication is that it prevents emotions being carried through the messages, therefore the importance of information

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