5 Ways to Lift Your Geriatric Patient’s Spirits

5 Ways to Lift Your Geriatric Patient’s Spirits Taking care of geriatric patients is definitely challenging. What a lot of people fail to take into account is that while being hospitalized, elderly people need special care, especially related to their spirit. With this in mind, we would like to provide you with a few helpful tips on lifting the spirit of your geriatric patients.

Related: How to Deal with Work Gossip 1. Make them feel human The truth is that in the majority of cases your patients would have undergone a variety of different procedures. They’d have been scanned, tested, prodded, poked and whatnot – the best thing you can do is to make them feel like they aren’t just another number in the records or a file in the cases. They are not just a product and you need to make them realize it. Refer to them with their name, look into their eyes, take their hand and do not talk about their condition, but talk with them instead.

2. Empower the patient The patient is usually used to be in control, especially elderly people. Even though their physical condition doesn’t really allow it, they like to be in charge. With this in mind, the environment in the hospital is absolutely contradicting. So many different people are in control when it comes to their own lives and that’s particularly overwhelming – make sure to change it. Let them be the active party in order for them to feel better – this is certainly beneficial.

3. Help them overcome their fears Everyone is afraid. Regardless of what they say or how they behave – everyone is afraid. This is especially true for elderly people. They are well aware of the fact that their condition isn’t what it used to be and they fear for the worst. Help them get through these fears. Comfort them and let them know that they are going to be alright even if you know they aren’t. Even though elderly people can be particularly stubborn, you need to know that they are definitely afraid because they do not know what lies ahead.

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4. Treat them with respect This is particularly important. Geriatric patients are of age and they want to make sure that you know how much they’ve accomplished. The worst thing you can do is to disrespect them by not showing enough the respect they need. This is why you need to be particularly careful and mindful when dealing with patients of age.

5. Give them the attention they need Even if you can’t do this alone, make sure that you provide them with the attention they need. Older people usually hate being alone and they hate not getting the attention they need. This is why you need to give it to them. This is going to significantly boost their spirit and help them feel much better.

Geriatric patients are particularly challenging to handle. This is because they wouldn’t assimilate the information you provide the same way. Rational thinking isn’t they strongest suit and they easily give in to emotions. This is why you need to make sure that you adjust your behavior accordingly and handle them with the necessary cautious.

These are just five principles that you might want to follow and take advantage of in order to properly boost the spirit of your geriatric patients.

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