Example case 15 of 40
Assess her in her language
Support communication from the start
Mrs Ahmed, 76, speaks Urdu. Today she is unusually withdrawn.
Click or tap each illustration to enlarge it. The commentary and text transcript follow below.
Read the text transcript
Page 1
Panel 1
Mrs Ahmed, 76, speaks Urdu. Today she is unusually withdrawn.
Daughter: She was chatting normally yesterday. This is a change.
Panel 2
Urgent physical checks begin. A professional interpreter joins.
Doctor Evans: Please interpret my questions directly for Mrs Ahmed.
Panel 3
Even with language support, she cannot follow the conversation.
Mrs Ahmed: My daughter… where are we?
Panel 4
History and examination support delirium. Assessment of causes continues.
Doctor Evans: Keep the interpreter involved as we explain her care.
Commentary
Support communication in the person’s preferred language while assessing acute change. A language barrier must not be mistaken for cognitive impairment or used to dismiss a new change.
An anonymised composite case that does not describe one identifiable person and is not research evidence.