Home Health Aide On-the-Go In-service Vol 10, Issue 5, Safety With ADLs OVERVIEW Assisting in activities of daily living (ADL) is a fundamental role of the home health aide. In caring for patients in their home, it is imperative that patients be able to safely perform their ADLs. This in-service describes how aides can demonstrate to patients and their families ways to safely perform ADLs, such as maintaining personal hygiene and using equipment to move about the home. LESSON OBJECTIVES After completion of this program, the home health aide will be able to: Define how to feed a patient safely Describe methods that will assist in performing personal hygiene safely at home Discuss ambulating and using mobility devices safely in the home Contents of this lesson: A clearly written fact sheet A 10-question post-test to measure understanding of the subject matter An answer sheet with a place for the instructor's comments and signature An illustrative, homecare-specific case study Suggested supplemental learning activities An attendance log and certificate of completion

Home health aides may occasionally be required to call 911 so that emergency assistance can be obtained. Calling 911 can be stressful and overwhelming. Even though 911 operators are trained to guide callers in relaying necessary information, being prepared ahead of time can make the call go smoothly and effectively. This in-service provides general information related to calling 911, including emergencies that warrant a 911 call, how to make a 911 call, what to say to the 911 operator, and how to best support the victim during and after the call. LESSON OBJECTIVES After completion of this program, the home health aide will be able to: Distinguish between the two types of 911 service Describe seven steps for responding to an emergency Identify eight guidelines for effectively calling 911 in an emergency situation Discuss the home health aide's role after calling 911 and when emergency medical services (EMS) personnel arrive Contents of this lesson: A clearly written fact sheet A 10-question post-test to measure understanding of the subject matter An answer sheet with a place for the instructor's comments and signature An illustrative, homecare-specific case study Suggested supplemental learning activities An attendance log and certificate of completion

"Nurses play a vital role in improving the safety and quality of patient car -- not only in the hospital or ambulatory treatment facility, but also of community-based care and the care performed by family members. Nurses need know what proven techniques and interventions they can use to enhance patient outcomes. To address this need, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), with additional funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, has prepared this comprehensive, 1,400-page, handbook for nurses on patient safety and quality -- Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. (AHRQ Publication No. 08-0043)." - online AHRQ blurb, http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nurseshdbk/

Family caregiving affects millions of Americans every day, in all walks of life. At least 17.7 million individuals in the United States are caregivers of an older adult with a health or functional limitation. The nation's family caregivers provide the lion's share of long-term care for our older adult population. They are also central to older adults' access to and receipt of health care and community-based social services. Yet the need to recognize and support caregivers is among the least appreciated challenges facing the aging U.S. population. Families Caring for an Aging America examines the prevalence and nature of family caregiving of older adults and the available evidence on the effectiveness of programs, supports, and other interventions designed to support family caregivers. This report also assesses and recommends policies to address the needs of family caregivers and to minimize the barriers that they encounter in trying to meet the needs of older adults.

As the first of the nation's 78 million baby boomers begin reaching age 65 in 2011, they will face a health care workforce that is too small and woefully unprepared to meet their specific health needs. Retooling for an Aging America calls for bold initiatives starting immediately to train all health care providers in the basics of geriatric care and to prepare family members and other informal caregivers, who currently receive little or no training in how to tend to their aging loved ones. The book also recommends that Medicare, Medicaid, and other health plans pay higher rates to boost recruitment and retention of geriatric specialists and care aides. Educators and health professional groups can use Retooling for an Aging America to institute or increase formal education and training in geriatrics. Consumer groups can use the book to advocate for improving the care for older adults. Health care professional and occupational groups can use it to improve the quality of health care jobs.

There have always been homeless people in the United States, but their plight has only recently stirred widespread public reaction and concern. Part of this new recognition stems from the problem's prevalence: the number of homeless individuals, while hard to pin down exactly, is rising. In light of this, Congress asked the Institute of Medicine to find out whether existing health care programs were ignoring the homeless or delivering care to them inefficiently. This book is the report prepared by a committee of experts who examined these problems through visits to city slums and impoverished rural areas, and through an analysis of papers written by leading scholars in the field.