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Distanced behind the mask: The use of non-verbal communication when counselling the elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic
The stressors caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have influenced both the physical and the mental health of the elderly, increasing their vulnerability. Counselling by the mental healthcare nurse is a critical protective factor in mitigating the mental health effects of COVID...
Autores principales: | , |
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Formato: | Online Artículo Texto |
Lenguaje: | English |
Publicado: |
AOSIS
2021
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Materias: | |
Acceso en línea: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8661110/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34909231 http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/hsag.v26i0.1665 |
Sumario: | The stressors caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have influenced both the physical and the mental health of the elderly, increasing their vulnerability. Counselling by the mental healthcare nurse is a critical protective factor in mitigating the mental health effects of COVID-19. However, counselling is unintentionally interrupted by the effects of the mask as a barrier to non-verbal communication. This commentary aims at conscientisation of mental healthcare nursing practice interruptions to non-verbal communication, brought upon by the pandemic. Practice recommendations focus on mask-wearing becoming less of a stressor to offset the challenges experienced by both the elderly and the mental healthcare nurses. CONTRIBUTION: The authors conclude that a need exists to revisit the fundamentals of counselling, and show initiative to addressing the practice challenges created by the wearing of masks yet simultaneously contribute to #flatten_the_mental_illness_curve. |
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