Transforming Communication with Older Adults: A Radically Different Response to Refusal of Care and Other Challenging Reactions

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Transforming Communication with Older Adults: A Radically Different Response to Refusal of Care and Other Challenging Reactions

Credit(s):

1.5 Social Work

Course Number:

SPS20260317

Duration:

1 hour 30 minutes

Access:

Available for 5 months after event date

Date:

March 17, 2026
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM (Central Time (US & Canada))

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Category: Specialty Practice Sections, Behavioral Healthcare, Elderly / Geriatics / Gerontology ... (show more)

Category: Specialty Practice Sections, Behavioral Healthcare, Elderly / Geriatics / Gerontology, General Social Work, Health, Social Work (show less)

Sometimes people do or say things that can be difficult for us to understand and tolerate. In a healthcare setting, this might look like “refusing” care or reactions that are often labeled as “behaviors.” Even with increased recognition of trauma-informed care, the power dynamics in our work environments can make it difficult to respond to clients in a way that does not compromise care. Moreover, even our well-intentioned approaches may perpetuate the ageism that pervades our society, and to which healthcare settings are not immune. In this session, we will explore Nonviolent Communication (NVC), a communication process designed to radically shift the way we think and use language in everyday situations to enhance the quality of our relationships. Social workers will learn how NVC principles and skills can stimulate a paradigm shift for a more collaborative way of providing care and creating a therapeutic environment in healthcare settings. While this session focuses on older adults, the material applies across age groups and settings and supports social work values of advocacy, an individual’s dignity, and our collective humanity.

Learning Objectives:

Expand the social worker’s awareness of the impact of judgments like “refusing” care and labeling “behaviors” on the client, social workers, and other healthcare professionals.
Recognize ageist assumptions when an older adult acts in a way that contributes to challenging care situations.
Use Nonviolent Communication principles and skills to identify observations and underlying needs that the individual is attempting to meet with behaviors that contribute to challenging care situations.
Identify one strategy to initiate in the work setting to transform communication and uphold social work values of empowerment, dignity, and advocacy.

1.5 Social Work

Price	Early Registration	Standard
Non-Member	N/A	$40.00
Member	N/A	$25.00
Specialty Practice Sections	N/A	$0.00

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Non-Member Price

$40.00

Member Price

$25.00