title: Physician-older patient communication during the transition from independence to dependence.
abstract: This article reviews recent research regarding the communication between physicians and their older patients who are passing from independence to dependence. Major findings from these studies are summarized with a discussion of how the context of the medical encounter, the physical, cognitive and language changes related to age, the amount of time permitted for a medical encounter, the managed care environment, and the presence of a companion can affect competent communication between a physician and an older adult. The article concludes with a comment about the need to educate current and future physicians on the complexity of communicating effectively with older patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication, University of Oklahoma in Norman, USA.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Nussbaum
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003142:Communication; D006801:Humans; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations