Communication Skills

As we touched on earlier, communication is at the heart of every aspect of end of life care. It is important that all care workers feel able to talk to people around them about things that they feel and that matter to them. They must also be confident and open to talk to other people if they deem this necessary.

As a carer, having a good level of communication allows you to interact with a range of people on a range of matters in a form that is appropriate to them and the situation. Remember though, that being a good communicator does not only mean you speak in an understandable way.

You also have to think about non-verbal communication, in such things as body language, where you look at the way you move your body and react to various situations. Furthermore, you must also consider whether you are actively listening to somebody, or if indeed you’re not. Being a good listener allows you to work well with people and helps you to pick up on various things that they are saying. In this way, you are less likely to miss pieces of vital information which could potentially have a massive effect on the way you work, or how you approach a particular situation. One thing to always, always remember when communicating with people is confidentiality. You must make sure that you do not share any sensitive information to anyone who does not need to hear it. In some cases, this could even breach certain laws such as GDPR rules and regulations, let alone the potential for causing emotional hurt and harm to people.