Are the terms of recognition like “honey” comforting or patronizing?

In an emotionally sophisticated world of care for dementia, communication is more than just what we say – that’s what we say. Conditions of capture Like “Darling”, “My Lovely” and “Sweetheart” are often used by healthcare employees with the best intentions: to comfort, combine and show warmth. But some believe that Elderspeak may seem patronizing.

For mine Doctoral examinationI worked with A team of scientists who study real interactions in the hospital by studying video recordings about how healthcare employees communicate with patients with dementia. Scientists exploit these observations develop Programs for healthcare employees.

In my research I focused on using Elderspeak – a style of speech often addressed to older adults. This is usually associated with a higher tone, a simplified structure of grammar and sentences, and the exploit of recognition conditions.

Some people compare older people with the way someone can talk to a tiny child, which is why they are often perceived as a patronizing. Conditions of recognition – like love, beloved or beloved – are particularly controversial and often discussed in the healthcare environment.

However, despite these fears – and that health care workers are discouraged from using the terms of recognition during the training – the data showed that experienced health care employees regularly used these conditions, which suggests that they can serve a valuable purpose in communication. When exactly I analyzed a number of real hospital interactions, which used the recognition conditions, I found it. Three key topics emerged from the data.

1. Mirroring

First of all, health care workers were not the only people using these conditions. The terms of the recognition were used Responsils – so both patients with dementia and the staff used them, reflecting or reflecting mutual language.

This caused positive interactions. For example, a patient with the inscription “OK Duck”, when the doctor asked them if he could sit the hospital bed higher and the doctor answers “in order”. These examples show that recognition conditions can be helpful in building relationships and trust between staff and patients.

2.

Secondly, at the beginning and end of conversations between the staff and patients, the terms of the recognition were used. In this case, the recognition conditions were helpful in the direction of marking and providing patients with information about the context. Previous work He showed that people living with dementia can deal with the diagnosis of tips in conversation. So, the date of recognition can facilitate signal that the conversation is coming to an end, such as a nurse who says: “Good baby, it is wonderful to talk to you.”

This is not surprising, because people exploit the terms of recognition to signal the end of conversations in many social conditions. For example, in the shop, the cashier can say “Thank you very much, honey!” To signal the end of the transaction.

The terms of the recognition were also used regularly when the talks began, signaling that a health care worker who came to talk to this person with dementia is someone friend or genial. Although in this case a health care worker would have to demonstrate caution depending on the context and whether they are known to the patient.

For example, one doctor opened a conversation with: “Hello, my dear, you haven’t seen me for some time, right?” The conversation lasted without a problem. Another doctor used a very similar opening: “Hi honey, I am Ethan, I am a doctor for today.” In this case, there were some conversation problems. The difference is that in the first example of the doctor’s words show that he had met a patient before. In the second words they show that they are unknown.

3. Railway

The third recognition conditions are used soothe or minimize imposing a patient. Examples of this are:

• When healthcare employees asks the patient to repeat something if it was so it is difficult to interpret or unclear. For example: “What my beloved? Say it again.”

• When a health care worker gives instructions during healthcare. For example: “Just bend your knee, honey.”

• When a health care worker reacts to a patient expressing anxiety or discomfort – often when there is an unpleasant but medical medical task, such as a blood test. For example: “I won’t be a second loved one.”

In such cases, the recognition conditions work to soften what a health care worker does. This can facilitate save the face – avoid or reduce the patient’s embarrassment – especially in cases where a health care worker must ask them to repeat a comment or question. It can also facilitate minimize what a professional does – just as someone said: “We are Just I’m going to make XYZ “, not” we If I’m going to make Xzy. “Image conditions also recognize the sensitivity of the healthcare situation.

Although there were many examples of recognition conditions successfully used in healthcare conditions, they are not a magical ball that can improve any situation. There were several examples of patients that reject the terms of the recognition. In both cases, patients were particularly concerned about healthcare activity – for example, a painful injection.

In such cases, the recognition conditions were not sufficient to justify the action that a health care worker tried to take. Therefore, this is an example of where the context and sensitivity to the individual situation are essential.