Communication in practice
Communication is a care skill, not only talking. About half of it is tone, face and touch.
- Greet by name and say who you are.
- Listen fully. Do not interrupt. Give time.
- Speak slowly and clearly, with short sentences, at the same eye level.
- Check: ask the person to say what they understood, or watch their face.
- Hearing loss: face them, reduce noise, use gestures or writing.
- Poor sight: say what you are doing and where things are.
- Memory problems: one idea at a time, calm repeat, no arguing.
- Ask permission before touching. Respect privacy and culture.
Care techniques in practice
In practice you do the same four things every time:
- Explain what you will do.
- Safe posture: wash hands, bend knees, keep back straight, use brakes on wheelchairs and beds.
- Do together: let the person do what they can.
- Check comfort: position, temperature, pain, drink within reach.
Examples: helping to stand, moving from bed to chair, walking beside a person, mouth care, dressing and bathing. Settings differ: at home you use what the family has; in a hospital you follow ward rules and infection control.
Understanding interprofessional and team care
No single person can see everything. The care team is:
- Care worker: daily support, closest to the person.
- Nurse: health checks, medicines, treatment.
- Doctor: diagnosis and treatment plans.
- Therapists (physio, occupational, speech): movement, daily skills, swallowing and speech.
- Social worker: services, benefits, family problems.
- Family and the person: the experts on the person's life and wishes.
Teams work well when roles are clear and information is shared. Use team meetings, daily notes and handover.
Observe, record, report, share
Write facts, not opinions: "ate half of the lunch" not "refused food". Report anything new or urgent straight away: a fall, fever, new confusion, sore skin.
Try it
Try it: with a friend, role-play a care visit. One plays a person with weak hearing. Practise GLSC, then explain a task (like standing up) with ESDC. Then write a two-line note with only facts. Swap roles.
Key formulas and definitions
- Talk: Greet + Listen + Speak slowly + Check
- Do: Explain + Safe posture + Do together + Check comfort
- Team: share what you see (observe, record, report, share)
- Facts, not opinions, in records
Worked examples
1. You meet a person with hearing loss. How do you begin?
Face them, get their attention gently, greet and say your name, reduce noise, speak slowly and a little lower, use gestures, and check understanding.
2. A person refuses a bath. What do you do?
Ask why, since the cause may be cold, shyness or fear. Explain, offer a choice of time, warm the room, protect privacy, and tell the team if the refusal continues.
3. Write a good record of a lunch.
Record time, what the person ate and drank, how much, and anything new. Example: "12:30. Ate half rice, no dal. Drank one cup of water. Said mouth is sore." Facts, not opinion.
Common mistakes
- Speaking loudly and fast instead of slowly and clearly.
- Doing the task before explaining.
- Keeping an observation to yourself.
- Writing opinions ("lazy") instead of facts.