Communicating Geriatric –Friendliness in Your Practice

1. Communicating Geriatric –Friendliness in Your Practice Lisa Z. Killinger, DC Palmer College of Chiropractic

2. Issues in “Geriatric Friendliness” • Facilities • Surroundings • Equipment • Lighting • Sound • Forms • Communications and You!!

3. Facilities • Carpeting issues- no deep pile, caution with ‘runners’ or area rugs • Marking steps up/down • Handrails, esp. in restrooms • Well- lit halls and other areas • Easy-open doors, flat, smooth thresholds • Others? You tell me!

4. Surroundings • Location, Location, Location!!! On a bus route? Near a senior housing facility? Near their other healthcare facilities? • Is parking close by and safe? • Sidewalks and parking lot (repair unevenness, cracks, potholes, etc.) • Stairs? Clearly marked with hand rails

5. Equipment • Tables (wider/softer = better/safer) • Chairs (not too low/deep)-arm rests • Bathrooms, slip-proof, handrails • Paper towels and wet floors-design facilities to reduce slippery floors

6. Equipment –cont… • Easy open doors (& can be opened from outside, in case of emergency) • Massage equipment, heat, ice, adaptable to older pts. (Toweling avail; lower settings, etc) • More?

7. Communication-The bigger picture • Barriers to good communication • Taking a history successfully • Listening • Communication with hearing impaired pts • Helping visually impaired patients give you the info you need • Redirecting the verbal wanderer

8. Barriers: Lighting and Sound • Remember: 1/3 to 1/2 of older pts are visually or hearing impaired • “Mood lighting” is not for seniors • Background music makes hearing impossible for hearing impaired pts. • No music in patient interview area! • Be aware of outdoor/traffic noise, air conditioning noise, etc.

9. Helping the visually impaired patient get you the info you need..

10. Forms • LARGE bold sans-serif print is easier to see! (FRUSTRATING, eh?)

11. List any auto accidents or injuries you have had in the last 5 years: ________________________ OR…. List any auto accidents or injuries you have had in the last 5 years: ____________________________________________________________

12. Have your staff (You can do this before you get busy in practice!) print a separate set of large print forms forms for your older/visually impaired patients. Your patients will thank you! • .

13. Be AWARE of GLARE

14. With hearing impaired patients… • Can you slow down/speak clearly? • Will you face pts when you speak? • Will you be patient while pts answer? • Can you listen,... then talk?

15. For good reason, we have…2 of these & only 1 of these

16. Communication • Can you, politely and kindly, re-direct a “verbally wandering” patient? • Will you be able to (comfortably) support your patients, assist them in getting up, etc? • Will you be able to talk about death/dying?

17. How do you redirect verbal wanderers?

18. Be a wealth of information! • Provide community resource directories for aging patients • Know the hot topics in aging: www.aarp.org or www.nihseniorhealth.gov • Find college courses, exercise classes, restaurants geared towards seniors, aging services centers etc.

19. Be an Advocate of Healthy, Successful Aging • Communicate re. preventive screenings • Assess and educate about home safety, health promotion & prevention • Reward healthy behaviors (Walk a 1,000 mile campaigns, etc) • Provide opportunities for older pts. to interact/play with younger patients • Consider a “bartering network”

20. Encourage older patients to volunteer!(Volunteering improves health) Be a good role model… Volunteer yourself!