Encourage An Individual

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1. Be able to work with individuals to identify their needs and preferences in relation to personal care 1.1-Encourage an individual to communicate their needs, preferences and personal beliefs affecting their personal care The caring environment may involve many different people therefore it is important as a carer you are aware of individuals needs, preferences and personal beliefs. This may involve a service user of a particular culture or someone simply preferring a bath to a shower either way it is good practice to understand the individuals requirements. Carers may experience difficulty understanding an individuals needs perhaps due to the person being unable to communicate. In cases such as this other forms of communication may…show more content…
For this reason it is important that staff ensure equipment is in good working order, safe and clean. Staff can do this by checking equipment regularly, being observant and not putting anyone at risk of danger or harm. It is also important equipment is tested and confirmed to be safe. Equipment should be checked before each use and if appears to be dangerous should be taken out of use and reported and recorded according to your local policy. Example of dangerous equipment may be a sharp edge on the bath seat as this may cause skin tears. There are various areas that may pose a concern for infection such as dirty or unhygienic bath mats, commodes, bath hoists etc. such issues should be reported to the appropriate person and thoroughly cleaned before…show more content…
It is important the person providing care has an idea of what is normal for that particular individual so they can monitor any changes and potential issues. Urine should be clear and straw coloured however in the morning may be of a stronger smell and colour. Carers may suspect a problem if the individual suddenly has difficulty passing urine or if a strong colour and smell remain throughout a period of time. In such cases the carer will need to report the concern and take a urine sample to be tested; it is important the service user is informed of what the carer is doing. Similarly the carer should be aware of what is normal for faeces. Faeces should be brown, soft and formed but may differ from this if the individual is constipated or unwell. It is important carers are aware of any concerning changes and know how to react; for example if an individual appears constipated it should be reported to a supervisor, further action may need to be taken as well as recording the persons bowel movement. Again the same approach must be taken to women of childbearing age regarding menstruation. Any noticeable changes for example missed periods could mean the individual is pregnant, but there could also be other reasons such as stress or anorexia. Some individuals may feel uncomfortable with their personal care being monitored; carers need to find common ground and care for the person in a
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