11.12 Community Resources

Community Resources and Supports

Clients living in their own homes may access other community resources to assist them in maintaining their independence. As a Health Care Assistant, you may encounter employees from these community resources, or you may assist in the care and maintenance of equipment provided by such resources.

Below is a list of some community resources clients may access in British Columbia. Resources may vary from community to community.

  • Home oxygen therapy. CPAP supplies and sleep apnea testing. See examples from the Vital Aire.
  • Better at Home Program — provides non-medical home support services. See examples from the Better at Home.
  • Medical alert systems. See examples from the LifeLine.

Summary

Health Care Assistants working in the home support environment are often referred to as community health or home support workers. Working in the home environment, the HCA ensures the environment is safe for the client and themselves. The HCA performs personal care tasks, housekeeping tasks, as well as restricted activities that have been delegated to them by a registered nurse.

Review Questions
  1. Which of the following guidelines will protect a Health Care Assistant’s safety when in home support? Select all that apply.
    1. Carry your keys in your hand when walking to and from your vehicle
    2. Keep your supervisor informed about your route and location
    3. Park in dimly lit areas
    4. Remain aware of your surroundings at all times
  2. Bleach and ammonia should never be mixed together when cleaning.
    1. True
    2. False
  3. The first step in using a fire extinguisher is:
    1. Squeeze the handle
    2. Pull the pin
    3. Aim at the base of the fire
    4. Push the handle
  4. Older adults with vision problems are at risk for accidental poisoning.
    1. True
    2. False
  5. When using a knife, cut with the blade facing away from you to avoid injury.
    1. True
    2. False
  6. Methods to prevent burns in the home include:
    1. All of these are correct
    2. Turn pot handles inward on the stove
    3. Never use electrical appliances near water sources
    4. Check the temperature of the water before bathing a client
  7. Household injuries most commonly occur in which rooms: (select all that apply)
    1. Kitchen
    2. Bathroom
    3. Living room
    4. Bedroom
  8. It is acceptable for a Health Care Assistant to help a client off the floor if they have fallen.
    1. True
    2. False

References

American Institute for Preventive Medicine. (2012). Burns. http://www.healthylife.com/online/HealthierAtHome/ASEA/Burns.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014a, May 19). Injury prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/healthyhomes/bytopic/injury.html

Leahy, W., Fuzy, J., & Grafe, J. (2013). Providing home care: A textbook for home health aides (4th ed.). Hartman.

MedlinePlus (2014, July 22). Burns. In A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia. National Medical Library. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000030.htm

Public Health Agency of Canada. (2021, August 23). At-a-glance – 2015 injury deaths in Canada. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/reports-publications/health-promotion-chronic-disease-prevention-canada-research-policy-practice/vol-39-no-6-7-2019/2015-injury-deaths.html

Riberdy, K., Brar, H., Gallacher, T. & Samaroo, S. (2022) Identifying Environment Hazards in the Home [Activity website]. Seneca College/ Affinity Learning.

World Health Organization. (2012, October). Falls fact sheet (No. 344). http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs344/en/

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Personal Care Skills for Health Care Assistants - 2nd Edition Copyright © 2023 by Tracy Christianson and Kimberly Morris, Thompson Rivers University is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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