| Interlocutor: SETTING: Community Nursing Centre |
| CARER: You are the primary carer for your 75-year-old father. You are concerned because he has been falling over more often lately. You also think he has lost weight over the last six months. You have come to the nurse for advice. TASK When asked, say you are worried about your father because he seems to be falling over more than before, and you also think he has lost weight. Say your father used to go out for a couple of long walks a day, but now he only goes for one short walk. He watches TV more often than he used to. Say he seems to be eating less than before. Say your father doesn’t have any long-term health conditions. He takes medication for hypertension. He hasn’t been ill recently. He does seem a bit quieter and more withdrawn than usual. Say you have no idea why he is falling over, but it seems to be something to do with his balance. Say that your father doesn’t want to go to the doctor as he doesn’t think there is anything wrong. Say you will follow the nurse’s suggestions and speak to your father about seeing a doctor |
| SETTING NURSE: Community Nursing Centre |
| NURSE: You see the son/daughter of a 75-year-old man who is concerned because his father has been falling over more often lately. He/she also thinks he has lost weight over the last six months and wants some advice. TASK: Find out reason for son/daughter’s visit. Explain possible causes of health problems for elderly patients (changes in diet, exercise, appetite, etc.). Explore relevance of these to his/her father. Explore further relevant details about his/her father (long-term medication/health conditions, recent illness, change in mood, reason for falls, etc.). Explain need for father to see doctor (e.g., full medical assessment, blood tests, rule out any underlying health conditions, etc.). Recommend strategies for encouraging his/her father to see doctor (e.g., explain importance of being assessed, son/daughter may go with him, etc.). |