Having good relationships with health professionals benefit both older adults and the people who are helping them.
A good relationship means that health professionals:
- Pay attention to the questions and concerns of the older adult and their helpers
- Give the older adult and their helpers all the information and detail they ask for
- Use languages the older adult and their helpers can understand, either avoiding or explaining technical terms
- Speak to the older adult and their helpers as intelligent adults, avoiding overly simple or baby-like talk
- Treat the older adult and their helpers as important partners in the older adult's healthcare
- Give the older adult's helpers the information and guidance they need
- Understand that some health issues and tasks can be upsetting for the older adult and their helpers
Steps that can improve relationships with health professionals include:
- Asking for recommendations from family and friends, when choosing new health professionals
- Sharing concerns and preferences with health professionals, such as needing more information or explaining beliefs or practices that affect treatment decisions
- Being respectful and positive when giving health professionals feedback, and focusing on the facts of what happened rather than emotions
- Rethinking who does to appointments, especially if the older adult likes a health professional but the family member who usually goes to the appointments with them doesn't
