Accountability In Home Care Essay

Mobility means simply the action of getting from one place to another.
Keeping mobile and active is very important. Different people require differing degrees of help to remain mobile and their needs may vary over time. Mobility can easily decrease and dependence increase if people are left sitting a round their homes for long periods.

You as the home care assistant have a responsibility to try to maintain and support the people you are caring for and to ensure that they retain the maximum amount of independence possible in their lives. Mobility is a very important fact or in maintaining independence.

PHYSICAL DIFFICUTIES EXPEREICNED BY OLDER PEOPLE

The older people frequently experience certain physical difficulties which may become disabililities
wheelchairs must not be used merely to save time.

Try provide moral rather than physical support.

Be aware when be to firm or gentle, or to negotiate.

Show sympathy and praise effort. (Constant chivvying can be irritating and counter-productive.)

Involve the person in doing tasks around the home, don’t let them sit in a chair and watch you do it all.

Put on some music and encourage them to move in time to it. l Ensure that walking frames when used, are always within reach, and are correctly adjusted to suit the height of the individual. An armchair suited to an individual’s needs can make all the difference in enabling them to sit down and get up unaided. l Wheelchairs* and other equipment should be regularly inspected and maintained.

Be aware of safe practices when using walking aids or wheel- chairs, and pass this information on to all uses, whenever possible.

THE IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE

Exercise is important at any age, and most of us don’t get enough of it. A certain amount of exercise, adapted to meet the particular needs of each person you are caring for, will improve strength, suppleness, and
CARE OF THE FEET

Good foot care is essential for maintaining mobility and general functioning and therefore independence. Many problems with the feet can be prevented; wherever possible you should encourage the people you are caring for to wear properly fitting shoes that provide support, rather than slippers, as normal footwear.

You may need to wash a person’s feet if they are un able to do so themselves. Take great care to dry between the toes as this can be a course of infection. Never cut toenails or attempt to treat corns. These must be done by a chiropadist because an accidental cut to the skin can cause infection, ulceration and even gangreen. People with diabetes or circulatory problems are particularly at risk. The chiropodist can also advise about proper footwear

Eqipment that assists mobility

Local authorities (usually through their social services depart- ments) and health authorities can provide a range of equipment that will help people to cope with different kinds of