STRATEGIES TO

MEET SPECIFIC
NEEDS

COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN PHARMACY PRACTICE

CHAP. # 10
OVERVIEW
Some situations require special sensitivities and unique strategies to
ensure effective communication.
This chapter addresses the skills needed to
• deal with older adults;
• persons with hearing, sight, or literacy deficiencies;
• patients with disabilities;
• terminally ill patients;
• patients with AIDS;
• patients with mental health problems;
• patients from different cultural backgrounds and persons taking care
of patients (caregivers).
 GENERAL ADVICE
If you believe that a person has a special problem, check to
see if your perception is accurate

• Look for non-verbal clues

• Use open-ended questions
• Avoid stereotyping patients...

…Be patient !!
 OLDER ADULTS
• Older adults are living longer and
experience new challenges associate with
aging.
• Communication can become more difficult
in the aging process.
• Deterioration in sensory and perceptual
processes affect the ability to
communication.
• As a group, two out of three elderly
people take at least one medication daily.
• This growing segment of the population is
in need of our patient counseling services.
• Unfortunately, the aging process
sometimes affects certain elements of the
communication process in some older
adults.
 OLDER ADULTS (CONT.)

LEARNING
Aging process may affects the learning process, but not
the ability to learn.
• Thus, the rate of speech should be maintained
• Amount of information presented at one time must meet
the individual’s ability to understand the material.
In addition, short term memory, recall, and attention
span may be diminished
• Thus, attempts to change behaviors should be structured
gradually.
• Set short-term goals,
• Approach long-term goals in stages, and break down
learning tasks into smaller components.
• Encourage feedback from patients as to whether they
received your intended message.

When given the opportunity to learn at their own

speed, most elderly people can learn.
OLDER ADULTS (CONT.)
VALUE AND PERCEPTUAL DIFFERENCES

• Generation gap could be a barrier.

• Older adults may perceive things differently from other age
groups.
• They may have different beliefs and perceptions about health
care, drugs and pharmacists specifically.
• Prescription medication hoarding or sharing behaviours in
older people may be common.
• Be aware of the situations in which you may be reacting to the
patients different values and belief systems rather than to the
patients themselves.
OLDER ADULTS (CONT.)
VALUE AND PERCEPTUAL
DIFFERENCES (Cont.)

• Older patients may expect a well-groomed,

professional-looking practitioner to serve them.
• If you do not meet these expectations, they
may be somewhat reluctant to interact with
you initially.
• Perception of authority may also impact on
interaction.
• Some older adults grew up respecting the
authority of physicians and pharmacists.Thus,
they may be receptive to being told what to do.
• Some patients want to be more independent
and assertive.
• Thus, it is important to assess which approach
seems to work for each patient.
OLDER ADULTS (CONT.)

PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS

• Influence on relationship with older adults.

• Some older adults may be experiencing a
significant amount of loss compared with
people of other age groups.
• Thus, their reaction to certain medical
situations, such as ignoring your directions
or complaining about the medicine price,
may be responses to fear of their diseases,
of becoming even less active, or of dying.
• They may deny the situation or become
angry at you or other health care providers.
• They may also turn to self-diagnosis and
self-treatment or to the use of other
people’s medication.
COMMUNICATION
IMPAIRMENTS
Possible Patient Impairments

• Vision
• Hearing
• Speech
• Aphasia