In one to one I was a nurse at nursing home and my patient was Ahmed, he was an elder man with dementia. He came to stay here for a few days because his wife needs a bit of a break from caring for him. Mr Ahmed has started to wander off during the night and Mrs Ahmed is not getting much sleep as she tries best to look after him.
Today I went to Mr Ahmed’s room to help him to get dressed and he was very confused. He kept asking where his wife was and when he can go home. Slowly he starts to raise his voice and then he started to cry, he refused to come and have breakfast. Before I enter in his room I knock at his door but he didn’t answer and I waited for him for few minutes to say something but he didn’t answer, I knock again but again he didn’t say anything, therefore I went inside his room, I saw him sitting at his bed plus looking really upset, it looked like he was crying for long time because his eyes were red as well as his nose. I sat opposite him however he ignored me. In my normal voice I said “good morning Mr Ahmed” the reason I kept my normal tone because I don’t want him to feel uncomfortable as its morning and most people in the morning are very moody. I give him few minutes to reply, however he didn’t reply to my question, as a result I asked him again with the same tone but this time I touched his leg to make sure he knows I am talking to him, when he looked I give him smile and eye contact to make the conversation more effective as the result of this he replied by saying “ I am tired” at this point I knew he was sad because he didn’t smile or he didn’t looked at me, he looked at the wall. I asked him why he was tired, I still kept my tone of voice normal because I didn’t want him to feel more upset or worried. This is made the conversation more effective because it made the conversation going and he even looked at. The question made more effective because he felt like I care about him and I am interested to know why he was tired. He replied by saying he didn’t slept well, again he didn’t give my eye contact, but I did to make sure I am still concern about him. When I found the reason why he didn’t sleep well, I still looked him but when he was telling me that he wants to meet his wife I sat on my knees and looked up to make sure he knows I am understanding what he was saying. My siting on the floor made the conversation effective because for the first time he give me eye contact as well as his face looked less worried. However after few minutes his voice raised and started to shout, I kept my tone of voice the same and try to confess him its ok you will see your wife. But he kept refusing from coming downstairs for breakfast because he wanted to see his wife, every time he spoke I give him eye contact, I tried to persuade him to change his clothes and come downstairs but he kept refusing it, I put my hand in his shoulder and told him that “ I can ring your wife and asked her where is she but first you have to change your clothes” he didn’t reply for few minutes and I waited because it was a lot to take in, he didn’t reply but he did shake his head. During this I tried avoid complex sentences because English is not his first language and also he’s got dementia, if I used complex sentences I would’ve made this conversation less effective because the communication would’ve been broken because he wouldn’t understand what I was talking about and would’ve made him more angry and it would’ve been hard for me to convenes him to change his clothes and come down stairs. I also give him time to reply, I didn’t rush him. This made more effective because I didn’t made him more confused and he knew what I was talking about. However I could’ve made this more effective by introducing myself to him, because it would’ve looked more professional. Also he asked me who I am, this made the conversation less effective because it made it less informal, and also I should’ve remembered that