Effectively communicating as a caregiver impacts all of your care activities. How can you develop good communication skills to use with care clients? When you want to connect and engage in conversation with your care clients, it’s important to understand their generation and any special needs they might have. Guess what? Research shows that the majority of communication comes through tone of voice and body language, not your words.
The Mehrabian’s model indicates that only 7% of communication is about what we say, while 38% is from tone of voice, and 55% is all about body language expressed.
To effectively communicate, pay attention to your:
- Tone of Voice
- Eye Contact
- How you move your body while talking
You may want to move your body position so you are at eye-level with the person you are speaking to, for instance. Try implementing some of these skills, such as talking in a softer tone of voice and making good eye contact and see the difference it makes in the ability for others to understand what you are trying to communicate to them.
If your client has trouble hearing:
- You can touch their hand or shoulder to get their attention
- Avoid covering your lips and mouth
- Speak clearly – not too fast, not too slow
- Pause – give them time to process your words
- Rephrase rather than repeat
If your client has dementia:
- Offer R-E-S-P-E-C-T
- Use non-verbal communication such as nodding your head or smiling
- Give them two-choice options rather than asking “yes” or “no” questions
- Be patient and don’t force conversation
Remember, to always stay calm and be aware of your communication skills if you are in a situation where the words you are saying are not being understood. What tone of voice are you using? Are you making good eye contact?
