Psychosocial Care Skills - Emotional and Mental Health Needs
Core concepts
Illness and institutional living produce fear, grief, anger, loneliness, and loss of control. Recognize signs such as withdrawal, crying, irritability, poor appetite, or statements of hopelessness, and report them. Use therapeutic communication: sit at eye level, listen without interrupting, accept feelings without judging, and offer simple choices to restore control. Confusion and dementia are common; behavior is often communication of pain, hunger, a full bladder, fear, or overstimulation. Try to find the cause before reacting. Do not argue with a delusion or hallucination; acknowledge the feeling and redirect. Keep routines familiar and place familiar objects within view. Any statement suggesting self-harm, or evidence of abuse or neglect, is reported immediately.
Traps to watch for
- Telling an angry resident to calm down or that they should not feel that way.
- Arguing with a resident who insists on seeing a deceased relative; instead respond to the emotion.
- Restraining or scolding a resident who wanders; instead redirect and keep them safe.
- Promising something you cannot guarantee, such as you will be back in five minutes.
- Ignoring a quiet, withdrawn resident because they are not demanding attention.
- Sharing your own problems at length instead of focusing on the resident.
Rule of thumb
Ask what changed. Sudden behavior change, especially in an older adult, is a cue to look for a physical cause such as pain, infection, constipation, or a new medication and to report it.