1. Developing Effective Communication in Health and Social Care
Unit 1
Developing Effective Communication in Health and Social Care

2. Communication, language needs and preferences
Care professionals communicate effectively when they are able to ‘connect’ directly with individuals. To be able to do this well, a care professional must adapt to the communication, language needs and preferences of others. This includes people who are unable to use spoken language and people who have sensory impairments that limit their communication and interaction abilities. HOW MIGHT A PERSON COMMUNICATE OTHER THAN SPOKEN WORDS?

3. Signalong is a sign-supporting system, which requires you to speak as you sign. Use simplified language, but speak in grammatical language. Signalong is not intended to replace speech!  Short sentences are much more easily understood than long and complex ones.
Please remember also that Signalong is a total communication system while signing, always remember to use body language, facial expression and voice tone to reinforce the message.
Don't forget that you are using Signalong because the person you are communicating with has difficulties. Don't flood them with language, whether in speech or in sign. Give them time to process the thought, and time to respond.

4. The effect of diabetic retinopathy on vision

5. The effect of glaucoma on vision

6. The effect of macular degeneration on vision

7. Braille
Braille is for anyone who has or is likely to lose their sight and would find that using large print becomes difficult. Braille can be learnt and used by children or adults to read and write pretty much anything! Braille is a code based on six dots, arranged in two columns of three dots. There are different types of Braille codes. These use variations of the six dots to represent all the letters of the alphabet, numbers, punctuation marks and commonly- occurring groups of letters. There are 63 possible combinations of the six dots. A blind French schoolboy named Louis Braille devised the code over 200 years ago.

8. Task A blind student has joined the college
In pairs, discuss what difficulties they might face and how they could overcome them.
Nominate one person to write down challenges and one person to write down solutions.
Each pair should verbally present one problem and its solution back to the class.

9. =
WIDGIT

10. Communication Passports
Personal Communication Passports are a practical and person-centred way of supporting children, young people and adults who cannot easily speak for themselves. Passports are a way of pulling complex information together and presenting it in an easy-to-follow format. WHAT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN ONE?

11. Present the person positively as an individual, not as a set of 'problems' or disabilities;
Provide a place for the person's own views and preferences to be recorded and drawn to the attention of others;
Reflect the person's unique character, sense of humour etc.;
Describe the person's most effective means of communication and how others can best communicate with, and support the person;
Draw together information from past and present, and from different contexts, to help staff and conversation partners understand the person and have successful interactions;
Place equal value on the views of all who know the person well, as well as the views of the specialist professionals.

12. Human aids to communication
In situations where people speak different languages or prefer to use different communication systems, effective communication may only be possible if assistance is provided from a third party.
Interpreters
Translators
Signers
Advocate
Mentor/Befrienders

13. The Disability Discrimination Act has focused attention on the need to provide facilities for people with hearing difficulties in all public buildings.

14. CAN YOU THINK OF A FAMOUS PERSON WHO USES VOICE ACTIVATED SOFTWARE?
A communication aid is anything that helps an individual communicate more effectively with those around them. This could range from a simple letter board to a more sophisticated piece of electronic equipment.
All types of equipment come under the umbrella of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
CAN YOU THINK OF A FAMOUS PERSON WHO USES VOICE ACTIVATED SOFTWARE?