Communicating in a Person-Centred Way: Act With Empathy

Journal Entries

About this document

Equity and Anti-Racism in Global Healthcare Journal Entries 1

At pertinent moments in the Bodyswaps experience, useful notes are added to the learner’s virtual journal as a memory prompt that they can refer back as and when required. 

In VR, learners access their journal by looking at their avatar’s left hand. On other devices, it can be accessed via a ‘burger menu’ in the top left corner of the screen. 

The full journal can be downloaded from our portal upon completion of the module, complete with relevant hyperlinks to online material, which cannot be accessed for practical reasons while in the VR simulation.    


This document collates the journal entries in relation to the individual activities.

Introduction

Act with empathy

Objective 

Practise demonstrating empathy with those you’re caring for and their family members

Goals

  • Reflect on how you empathise with the people in your care
  • Promote and support dignity and respect
  • Work together with each individual and those closest to them to plan their care in a way that suits them
  • Prioritise the rights of the person you’re caring for, as far as their capacity allows

Dignity begins with empathy

Empathy, dignity and respect

Showing empathy helps you to put the person at the centre of their care. It demonstrates respect and supports their dignity.

  • Try to see things from the other person’s perspective
  • Don’t dismiss their experience in favour of your own
  • Don’t make assumptions

Promoting dignity and respect

What to consider when visiting the home of someone affected by dementia

  • Safeguarding – are there any concerns about the person or their situation?
  • Information governance – using the right ways to record, store, and share information
  • Capacity – Assume they have capacity unless there is evidence they do not (Mental Capacity Act 2005)
  • Standard 9 of the Care Certificate – Mental Health, Dementia and Learning Disabilities
  • NHS guidance on communicating with someone with dementia

Demonstrating empathy

Communicating with someone with dementia

  • Keep it simple
  • Ask questions
  • Be ready to repeat things if needed
  • Check that they’ve understood