Talking With Your Older Patient: A Clinician's Handbook by National Institute of Aging - HTML preview

In Summary

✔ Address the patient by last name, using the title the patient prefers (Mr., Ms., Mrs., etc.).

✔ Begin the interview with a few friendly questions not directly related to health.

✔ Don’t rush, and try not to interrupt; speak slowly, and give older patients a few extra minutes to talk about their concerns.

✔ Use active listening skills.

✔ Avoid jargon, use common language, and ask if clarifi cation is needed, such as writing something down.

✔ Ask the patient to say what he or she understands about the problem and what needs to be done.