The Journal of Korean Society of Community-Based Occupational Therapy Vol.10 No.3 pp.15-26
Occupational Therapists' Perception and Communication of the Elderly
Key Words : Awareness,Communication,Occupational Therapist
Abstract
Objective : Due to the rapid aging of the country, the elderly population is increasing and the ratio of face-to-face meetings with the elderly in major areas of occupational therapy is high. The purpose of this study was to investigate the overall perception of the elderly and the status of communication with the elderly. Methods : This survey was conducted From April to June 2020. Occupational therapists who provide interventions for the elderly in hospitals and public health centers across the country were collected using online questionnaires. A total of 91 questionnaires were collected through a self-administered questionnaire, of which 82 were used for data analysis, excluding 9 with insufficient responses. Results : Occupational therapists generally had a lot of negative perceptions of the elderly. In addition, as factors that hindered communication with the elderly, they responded in order of hearing-related, language understanding related, and articulation related. Lastly, occupational therapists were found to induce smooth communication with the elderly in the order of conversation response management, emotional expression, understanding enhancement, and relationship control. Conclusions : Occupational therapists are health care professionals who play a major role in improving the subjects' social participation and quality of life. Therefore, it is necessary to provide professional therapeutic interventions and related education using improved communication skills along with an understanding of the elderly's communication skills and their level of communication.