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Irish Hospice Foundation
Toolkit for Compassionate End-of-Life Care
Communicating through personal protective equipment (PPE) Following the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic, patients/residents and their families have found themselves in a completely changed environment, where the need for strict infection prevention and control procedures can impact on the end-of-life care experience. is may lead to heightened feelings of upset and anger, abandonment and isolation, confusion, fear and a sense of being out of control. is is a difficult situation for anyone to be in. It is important to acknowledge those feelings and offer comfort and reassurance. Having clear communication channels to provide information and respond to queries is vital.
Show the person who you are and make the human connection
In the interactions you have with patients/residents, relatives and friends, try not to let PPE become a social barrier. People in isolation may need to feel a connection with others even more.
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“Hello, my name is . . .”
• Place a photo of you and/or write your name on the outside of your PPE.
Be a comforting presence
If you’re wearing PPE, your body language, tone of voice and eye contact are even more important. Your smile and warmth can be conveyed through your eyes, even if you’re wearing a face mask.
Move slowly if you can. Enter the person’s room gently.
Acknowledge emotions and feelings
Ask how the person is feeling. Provide information, reassurance, words of kindness. Focus on maintaining hope – think about what can be done and what can be done well. - ‘I can help you contact your loved ones.’
- ‘I can be here with you if you are frightened.’ - ‘I can help to make you feel more comfortable.’ - ‘I can help your mother to feel more comfortable.’ - ‘I will take care of your father.’ - ‘I am here for you.’
Communication 2
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