Message #4518

[Aunty Sue]

Hi emsypoo,

Think about:

The telephone - where only verbal communication is used ie no body language to provide extra meaning.

Face to face - where verbal communication is supported by body language

Sign language, lip reading, translators or the use of communication technology.

Word choice where the social care worker considers the needs and understanding of the individual and the information to be communicated eg no jargon, formal and informal language.

Tone - calm, friendly, clear etc.

Active listening - this is where the worker make a conscious effort to hear not only the words that another person is saying but, more importantly, try to understand the complete message being sent.

Paraphrasing - the worker repeats what the individual has said back to them in a different way to make sure that they have understood eg "I started feeling dizzy on Tuesday" "So you have been feeling dizzy for three days".

Clarification - where the worker sums up the conversation to ensure understanding

Open questions - that require more than a yes or no answer.

And so on.

Hope that helps

Aunty Sue