Beading to Patients
An excellent way to entertain patients is to read to them. However, care must be taken to read rather slowly, never loudly, but in a well modulated voice and distinctly, to face the patient and guard against reading too long at a time. Newspapers should not be allowed to rattle, and sensational news should be avoided. Select a good variety of general news, heeding as much as possible the patient’s desires, unless these run toward the sensational. Magazine articles and stories and wholesome books also may be read, if the patient is interested in them, and the chances are that he will be. Avoid all reading material in which there is reference to sick¬ness or abnormality.
Get out frequently and gather some new interests to bring back to the sick-room, but keep away from gossip. Elderly patients, as a rule, are in even greater need of enter¬tainment or light occupation than younger people during ill¬ness, for they are inclined to feel neglect keenly and also to feel that the neglect is because they are “unnecessary anyway.” This need is often not taken into consideration sufficiently.