People communicate;

to express needs to share ideas and information to reassure to express feelings to build relationships to socialise to ask questions to share their experiences

Within the care setting we communicate using:

Communication books Handover with Colleagues Staff message book Staff meetings Meeting with my Line Manager

Effective communication is important as it ensures that information is:

Clear Concise Accurate Non-judgmental Informative
BARRIERS are very common in communication here are a few examples;

Language - Choose your words with the listener in mind; be aware of the emotional impact your words may have on the listener, by repeating what the speaker has said in order to check your understanding. Ask questions if the speaker uses unfamiliar words.

Preoccupation - Be aware of the listener’s mood and attentiveness. Consider the listener’s other concerns, consciously focus on the speaker.

Past Experiences - Be conscious of past experiences in similar situations, think of the listener’s past experiences with social workers or public institutions.

Beliefs - Develop ideas according to the listener’s values and interests; be open to learning about people who are different from you. Avoid being judgmental about the listener’s cultural practices.

Anger/Hostility - Be cautious about how you approach a subject that may offend the listener, remove yourself from a situation if you are becoming angry. Avoid escalating the speaker’s anger it is more important to listen than to respond angrily and never jump to conclusions.

Interrupting - Let the speaker talk without interrupting them. You will have your turn to speak. This lets the Service User know that you are interested in what they have to say.

Language - When someone speaks a different language from those who are providing support it can be an isolating and frustrating experience. The person may become distressed and frightened, as it is very difficult to establish exactly what is happening, and they are not in a position to ask or to have any questions answered. The person will feel excluded from anything happening in the care setting and will find making relationships with support staff extremely difficult. There is a strong possibility of confusion and misunderstanding.

Hearing loss - A loss or reduction of ability to hear clearly can cause major differences in the ability to communicate. Communication is a two-way process and it is very difficult for somebody who does not hear sounds at all or hears them in a blurred and indistinct way to be able to respond and to join in. The result can be that people may feel very isolated and excluded from others around them. This can head to