How to find out about an individuals ability to communicate
Records: The records that I would access to find out about this individuals ability to communicate are: The case history files that would have come in with the service user either from the hospital/GP or other organization.
The care plan and the Daily handover book and the MARR sheet which may give an indication that a particular medication could be affecting the individual’s ability to communicate i.e. a medicine or sedative type medicine that may make the individuals thought or speech processes slower than usual.
Other Professionals: Other professionals would include: the GP or district nurse. The service user’s key worker and other members of the care team are also a very good source of information regarding this individual’s ability to communicate as well as the Manager of the home.
Theories relevant to the individuals I work with.
One theory that has relevance is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory. This theory is set out in the form of a pyramid and starting at base level states that an individual will first look for their ‘physiological needs’ first to be met.
The physiological needs being air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sleep, sex, etc.
Once the individual has attained these basic needs they will move on to the next level of the pyramid which is their ‘need for safety’, protection, stability, law and order etc. The individual will move onto the third level once these needs are met and aim to fulfil their need for ‘belongingness and love’. The individual looks for these needs being fulfilled by family members, friends, partners, colleagues etc. When the individual has reached this third goal they will move on to the forth level, which are their ‘Esteem needs’ these needs are their achievement, status, responsibility and reputation needs. If an individual is lucky enough to have attained all of the above needs then they would go on to seek ‘self-actualization’, and this is gained through personal growth and fulfilment. Our care home environment aspires to help the service users and staff alike to fulfil these needs.
