Effective communication is the foundation of healthy relationships. As a family caregiver, you'll interact with many people, including the care recipient, family members, and healthcare professionals. Clear communication requires effort, listening, and understanding different perspectives. Here are some tips to enhance your communication skills: #1 - Identify your intention: What do you want to convey and achieve from the conversation? #2 - Respond, don’t react: Focus on current discussions rather than past experiences. Ask yourself if your emotions match the situation and how you'd like to respond. #3 - Be clear and direct: Avoid hinting or expecting others to read your mind. Clearly ask for what you need. #4 - Practice active listening: Limit distractions, listen attentively, and show you're listening through body language. #5 - Seek clarity: When in doubt, ask the care recipient directly about their needs and work as a team. #6 - Prepare for meetings: List questions or information to discuss with healthcare professionals to stay focused on key issues. Your knowledge and experience are invaluable. Communicating effectively ensures everyone benefits! #CaregiverTips #FamilyCaregiving #EffectiveCommunication
As the provincial association of long-term care councils, ILTCCABC suggests a code of conduct to inform its member councils how to interact in meetings and with the care team for best results. These are all excellent reminders!
Lisa Dawson
4mo
Excellent tips - it’s not always what you say but how you say that dictates the outcome!
Great tips! As family councils in long-term care, these tips resonate with us. Communication is our only tool and we need to be so aware of how we use it. Thank you