4.1 Introduction
Daily Personal Care
When you work as an HCA, much of the time is spent assisting and giving clients personal care tasks that they are no longer able to do on their own. However, most people are used to taking care of their personal needs and privacy. Loss of this independence is often difficult for clients to accept. Therefore, when you are caring for clients, allow the them to do as much of their own care as they are able, respect their sense of modesty, and try to avoid any embarrassment to them. When you give personal care, give it in a pleasant, efficient way and don’t physically expose the client any more than is absolutely necessary. Some clients need only a minimal amount of help; others are totally dependent on you.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this unit, the successful student will be able to:
- Know the steps to assist the client with daily personal hygiene.
- Describe proper oral care.
- Know the steps to assist the client with bathing.
- Understand proper personal hygiene and perineal care.
- Understand proper skin care to decrease the risk of skin breakdown.
- Know the steps to assist the client with dressing and grooming.
- Learn the proper application of anti-embolism stockings.
Terms to Know
People may require personal care for a variety of reasons. Assistance with personal care may be temporary, while a person recovers from an injury or illness, or may be permanent and required for the remainder of their lives.
Types of Patients Who May Need Personal Care
- Patients recovering from an illness or accident
- Patients with a long-term chronic condition (e.g., heart failure, diabetes, HIV/AIDS)
- Frail patients or those of advanced age
- Patients who are permanently disabled
- The dying patient
Providing personal care is a priority for the Health Care Assistant. It is the most important task they do. Personal care provision demonstrates to the client concern about their physical health and general well-being.
This unit explores the importance of providing personal care, and provides instruction for performing tasks related to personal care. The importance of infection control and how HCAs can work to break the chain of infection to keep clients healthy is discussed. Bathing, oral care, dressing/grooming, and toileting are topics reviewed in this unit, with an explanation of how HCAs can help with these types of personal care activities.
A.M. care is given in the morning, to prepare the resident for the day. It includes bathing, shaving, dressing, grooming, and oral care.
Also called HS (hour of sleep) care is done in the evening or at bedtime. It includes washing face and hands, and oral care as well as changing into pyjamas or gown. Dentures are removed and cleaned. HS care may also include backrub to help the resident relax before sleeping.
A partial bed bath involves washing the face, hands, underarms and genital/perineal area.
A complete bed bath involves washing the entire body from head to toe.
The tiny area of sensitive skin between your genitals (vaginal opening or scrotum) and anus, and it’s also the bottom region of your pelvic cavity. Sometimes referred to as the "Peri-area".
Washing or bathing the genitalia and surrounding area in all genders.
The outer skin (or flaps of skin) around the vaginal opening. The labia majora on the outside tend to be larger and plump, covered with pubic hair. The labia minora are the inner set next to the labia majora.
The opening to the urinary tract.
The anatomical tube extending from the urinary bladder to the urethral opening (urinary meatus), through which urine (and semen in males) is urine is excreted.
Anti-embolism socks place pressure on the legs to increase circulation and to reduce a person’s risk of blood clots.
Anti-embolism socks are made of stretchy material that slightly compresses the legs. The pressure is graduated, with each sock being tightest at the bottom by the foot and loosest at the top.
