147 Mental Health Concerns and The Older Adult
Empathy In the healthcare profession, empathy has nineteenth-century historical begin- nings. Florence Nightingale is the most notable advocate as a result of her role in bringing compassion and empathy to patients. She is credited with unifying science and skill with compassion and empathy (Magpantay-Monroe, 2015). Ex - hibiting empathy can be thought of as an individualistic portion of healthcare with artistic freedom. There is more than one correct and therapeutic way to connect with older adult clients when assessing, intervening, and delivering treatment— especially when meeting mental health needs. The healthcare worker addressing mental health concerns can utilize and modify various approaches to communi- cation to elicit trust and rapport that en- rich the environment for information ex- change, often of a sensitive nature. The healthcare worker can use originality with the empathetic approach, with the goal of maximizing the dialogue with the older adult client. This is important for the old- er adult client because the WHO (2021) notes empathy as a method for combat- ting ageism. With trust and empathy, the healthcare worker can increase interper- sonal connection enveloped in empathy with the older adult client, making it eas- ier to assess, intervene, and treat mental healthcare needs. Professional boundaries for the mental healthcare worker While meeting the needs of the older adult mental health client, the healthcare worker is cautioned to maintain profes- sional boundaries. Ethical topics such as abuse can be of concern with older adult mental healthcare, and they warrant a re- view of appropriate interaction. The Na- tional Council of State Boards of Nursing
(2018) defines professional boundaries as the area between the healthcare work- er’s “power and the client’s vulnerability.” Mental healthcare assessments and inter - actions depend on the healthcare work- er’s aptness within this delicate scope. The focus during the interview should always be the client. Keeping the perspective of the client’s recovery goals can guide the healthcare worker to maintain appropriate balance. The healthcare worker should avoid self-disclosure whenever possible. Self-disclosure is defined as personal in - formation a healthcare worker shares with a client (Boyd, 2017). Using honesty and redirection can give the healthcare work- er the ability to shift questions or com- ments about themselves back in line with the therapeutic relationship. Remember, the goal is to help the older adult client through professional interactions and work to improve their quality of life. Transference and countertransference are two sides of the same coin. The healthcare worker meeting mental health- care needs for the older adult should use acute recognition/awareness for the hin- drance of either element. Transference is a client placing the thoughts, feelings, or behaviors they associate with someone else onto the healthcare worker (Boyd, 2017). This can be heard when a client says things such as “You remind me so much of my son/daughter” or “You look like a girl/boy a grew up with.” While these comments are not infallible indica- tors, they should prompt the healthcare worker to follow up on the association the client is making. The association can be favorable—or an obstacle to overcome. Countertransference is when a healthcare worker knowingly or unknowingly places their own feelings or attitudes onto the cli- ent (Boyd, 2017). This term can present in
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