EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AS AN IMPORTANT SKILL FOR QUALITY CARE IN ELDERLY PATIENTS

The increase in the number of older people in the world emphasizes the need to reevaluate and change health care policy and care services priorities. The provision of health care for this growing population has consequently become an important worldwide concern. The purpose of this article is to highlight the challenges stemming from the growing number of elderly people and their need for care. Collaborative and coordinated health care services for elderly people should be focused on the ethical issues deriving from the interpersonal relationships between the professional caregiver and the older person. Any discussion on ethics and aging should be focused on the roles of autonomy, informed consent, respect, advance directive, end of life decisions and privacy. In addition, such a discussion should stress the important role of effective communication and its effect on the older person's adherence with the recommended treatment. The desired consequence should be the empowerment of positive and successful experiences attained by the recipients of the health care services.