“They forget that I’m a human being”—ward round communication with older patients living with frailty and informal caregivers: a qualitative study

Skilful communication prompts quality patient care. Informal caregivers occupy a crucial role when caring for hospitalised older patients living with frailty. However, skilful communication with both patients and informal caregivers during ward rounds has not been studied. Thus, we aimed to explore communication preferences of patients and informal caregivers during ward rounds.

We conducted semi-structured interviews with hospitalized patients and informal caregivers until information redundancy occurred. We used inductive coding of the transcribed interviews followed by a reflexive thematic analysis.

The study included 15 patients and 15 informal caregivers. Patients had a median age of 85 years (range 75–100 years) and seven patients were females. Informal caregivers’ median age were 45 years (range 38–80 years) and 13 were females. Three themes were generated: (1) building relationships and conveying information, (2) alleviating informal caregiver strain and (3) sharing the decision-making process. Themes highlighted the importance of collaborative and empathetic approaches in healthcare interactions, emphasizing interpersonal communication skills, such as fostering professional relationships. The interviews unveiled informal caregiver burden stemming from disempowerment during hospital discharge process and managing mistrust within the healthcare system. The shared decision-making process should address patients’ and informal caregivers’ needs and circumstances.

Communication preferences of a population of older patients living with frailty and informal caregivers during ward rounds encompass interpersonal communication, demonstrating ample time, and being seen as a human being. Informal caregivers value being included in the decision-making process. Skilful communication includes for doctors to recognize informal caregivers’ narratives and burdens.