Validation: “It’s understandable that you feel angry about ….
Reflection: “So I hear you saying you are very concerned that…?”.
Empathy: “ It sounds like what you are going through is really upsetting and difficult”.
Use skills such as empathy, reflection and validation to negotiate a realistic goal – sometimes it can be as simple as saying we will ask the doctor to give them a call.
Align our body language with the intention to listen, nod, make eye contact, don’t cross our arms, etc.
Reframe emotions or situations from ‘negative or difficult’ to an opportunity or catalyst to further explore a situation.
Invite them to tell their story: “Can you tell me what’s bothering you?” and listen out for goals we may be able to address.
Acknowledge their emotion: “I can see you are very upset/angry”.
Listen to their concerns, regardless of how we perceive the situation.
The following are some communication strategies we can use to help older people and their families in palliative care who are experiencing emotional symptoms: Depressed people may feel hopeless or helpless and become isolated from those around them.Īnger can affect the way people talk, act and accept their treatment and it is a common reaction to a life-threatening illness. Some people may feel alone even when in the company of others.ĭepression may result in a loss of pleasure or interest in things around them. Loneliness is a ‘subjective, unwelcome feeling of lack or loss of companionship or emotional attachment with other people’.1 It is often experienced in conjunction with social isolation, if the person has little social contact or others have withdrawn from them. In addition to physical symptoms, people who are at a palliative stage often experience emotional symptoms, such as anxiety, loneliness, depression and anger, which are all associated with grief.Īnxiety can include feelings of apprehension, fear and dread, which can lead to nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath and diarrhoea. We need to enhance our ability to respond to people’s individual wishes so that we can provide quality and respectful care. People receiving palliative care can experience heightened emotions and may value the opportunity to express their identity and culture and to practise their spiritual and religious rituals. It can occur well before a person dies and it presents with many subtle nuances. Grief is the normal human response to any perceived loss.
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