Communication with elderly patients

Abstract:

Physician-patient communication is a process of information exchange between a doctor and a patient through a common system of symbols, signs, and behaviors. Effective communication between health care professionals and patients is essential for delivery of quality health care. Research shows that effective communication in medical encounters positively influences patient recovery, pain control, adherence to treatment, satisfaction and psychological functioning. Older adults are a group considered to be at highest risk of poor communication with health professionals. Elderly patients are less likely to be assertive or ask in-depth questions. Doctor’s overall responsiveness (i.e., the quality of questions, information and support) to younger patients is better than that to older patients and there is less concordance in goals and topics between doctors and older patients than between doctors and younger patients. Literature suggests that evaluation of factors such as memory decline and sensory deficits is essential in geriatric patient visits. These common age-related communication barriers are often overlooked during consultation and often compromise the quality of communications. Effective communication has been shown to reduce the hospitalization rates in elderly patients

Key words:
aged; communication; geriatrics; physician-patient relations