Professional Documents
Culture Documents
• understand the importance of the six ‘Cs’: care, Building your technical skills
compassion, courage, communication, competence Work-related tasks and activities
and commitment throughout give you the opportunity
• develop the attributes and behaviours you need to to practise a range of technical and
support users of service in adult care settings professional skills.
• explore in detail key areas such as health, safety
and safeguarding Linking learning with the workplace
• learn and practise a broad range of skills including ‘Work focus’ page at the end of each
effective communication and reflective practice unit helps you develop the skills and
techniques. behaviours employers look for and
provides handy pointers to support
progress in your chosen career.
ActiveBook
This book includes access to a
digital ActiveBook version, ideal for
personalising your learning and
perfect for revision.
itio
n
inc
Adult Care
Learner Handbook
Carolyn Aldworth
Marilyn Billingham
Colette Burgess
Nicola Matthews
Answers 171
Glossary 175
Index 179
III
During each phase, you will use different learning strategies. As you go
through your course, these strategies will combine to help you secure the
essential knowledge and skills.
This handbook has been written using similar learning principles, strategies
and tools. It has been designed to support your learning journey, to give
you control over your own learning and to equip you with the knowledge,
understanding and tools to be successful in your future career or studies.
Practise
Read the health and safety policy for your care setting. What are your
responsibilities if:
• the entrance area in your workplace hall is wet and slippery?
• a shelf is insecure and could fall down?
• the electric kettle seems faulty?
What if…?
Employers need to know that you are responsible and that you understand
the importance of what you are learning. These ‘What if…?’ scenarios will
help you to understand the real links between theory and what happens in
the workplace.
V
What if…?
Nicki has been living in a small group residential care setting for
individuals with mental ill health. She is on medication that controls her
mood swings and is making good progress. She now takes responsibility for
most routine day-to-day activities independently. Soon she will be moving
into her own accommodation and wants to get a job. There is to be a care
planning meeting to discuss support for this transition.
1 Name two health or care workers who might be at the care
planning meeting.
2 Which care worker might help Nicki in her applications for work?
3 Describe the steps that the care team should take to update Nicki’s
care plan.
Link it up
For more on
communication Link it up
barriers relating to Although your BTEC Level 2 Technical is made up of several units, common
the environment themes are explored from different perspectives across the whole of your
and what you could course. Everything you learn and do during your course will help you in
do to remove them, your final assessment. This kind of assessment is called ‘synoptic’. It means
see B2 later in that you have the opportunity to apply all the knowledge and skills from
this unit.
the course to a practical, realistic work situation or task.
The ‘Link it up’ features show where information overlaps between units or
within the same unit, helping you to see where key points might support
your final assessment or help you gain a deeper understanding of a topic.
Step-by-step
This practical feature gives step-by-step descriptions of processes or tasks,
and might include a photo or artwork to illustrate each step. This will help
you to understand the key stages in the process and help you to practise
the process or technique yourself.
Checklist
These lists present information in a way that is helpful, practical and
interactive. You can check off the items listed to ensure you think about each
one individually, as well as how they relate to the topic as a collective list.
Vi
Assessment practice
These features include questions similar to the ones you’ll find in your
external assessment, so you can get some experience answering them. Each
one relates to one or more Assessment Outcomes, as indicated in the top
right-hand corner of this feature box. Suggested answers are given at the
back of this book. Where Assessment practice features require you to carry
out your own research or give individual answers or opinions, however, no
answers are provided.
Vii
You are working as a care assistant in a residential home for older people.
1 Identify two tasks that care assistants may be responsible for in this care
setting. (2 marks)
2 Describe the role of a care manager in this care setting. (2 marks)
HANDS N
There are some skills linked to this unit that Responding to changes in users of services’
you need to develop to become an effective conditions.
adult care worker. You need to be able to work Showing that I can support individuals in a
with others confidently, prepare for work and person-centred way.
show good thinking skills, as well as being
adaptable and able to manage information Passing on information.
effectively. Behaving in a way that shows that I care.
1 Tick the boxes that you feel confident about Showing that I can help to keep the
in your work placement, then give one workplace safe.
example for each.
Making sure that the workplace knew that I 2 Are there any that you are not so confident
was safe to be with vulnerable people. about? Put a cross next to these ones.
Noticing hazards and reporting them. 3 Who can help you to develop the skills you
are less confident about? Make a note.
Following procedures and instructions.
Viii
ix
Try to imagine that you needed help with everyday activities such
as getting dressed in the morning, having a shower or going to the
shops. How would this make you feel? What help might you need to
ensure that life was good?
In this unit you will learn about the work of a wide range of health
and care professionals that support individuals who need help with
tasks just like this. You will also learn what it means to provide care
to the highest standard, and what to do if you see that those high
standards are not being met.
With this knowledge, you will be able to move ahead confidently to
ensure that your users of services receive the professional support
that they deserve.
This unit is assessed externally using an onscreen test. The test contains
different types of questions, and is set and marked by Pearson.
When you take the test, you will need to show that you understand and
can describe the roles and responsibilities of adult care workers and a wide
range of other professionals who work in the health and care services. You
will also need to show that you understand the principles and values that
underpin their professional practice. You will show that you understand
how relevant legislation – such as health and safety, food hygiene laws and
their linked regulations – govern and guide care practice. You will need
to explain how care for users of services is planned to ensure that it meets
their individual needs. Finally, you will need to be able to outline how your
own further training and professional development will help to make sure
that users of services receive high standards of care.
Assessment outcomes
specific responsibilities will vary according to the care setting and the
individuals they care for, but often include:
• helping with personal care, such as washing, dressing, feeding and
using the toilet
• helping users of services stay MOBILE , which means that they can get
about in their everyday lives
• general household tasks such as cleaning, cooking, ironing and shopping
• writing and posting letters, using the phone, paying the bills and
completing forms
• LIAISING with other health and care professionals, which means
meeting or connecting with them in order to work together effectively.
Personal assistants
A personal assistant is normally directly employed by users of services. They
carry out many of the tasks of an adult care assistant, as agreed with the
individual to meet their needs. Personal assistants may live in their user of
services’ home or may be called on as and when they are needed. Like other
care workers, personal assistants contribute to CARE PLANS and records
by attending care plan meetings and discussing care needs with the user
of services and other individuals. A care plan is a written statement of the
ways in which an individual will be helped, supported and cared for. This is
a relatively new and expanding area of care support.
You are working as a care assistant in a residential home for older people.
1 Identify two tasks that care assistants may be responsible for in this care
setting. (2 marks)
2 Describe the role of a care manager in this care setting. (2 marks)
Physical needs
Our most basic needs for food
and water, shelter, sleep and
keeping warm
Human
Emotional needs Social needs
needs
The need to feel The need to have
essential
secure, to be loved friends and
for our
and valued company
wellbeing
Intellectual needs
Our need for activities to keep the
brain active, such as interests and Figure 1.1: Our basic human
hobbies that involve thinking needs can be divided into
and planning physical, intellectual, social
and emotional
As an adult care worker, you have a responsibility to help make sure all
the needs of your users of services are met, and that this is done to a high
standard. Here are some of the routine activities you will be involved in.
Monitoring health
Measuring and monitoring temperature, pulse rate and blood pressure
or observing changes in skin colour can tell you a great deal about
the health and wellbeing of your users of services. When you are
taking measurements, as far as possible, make sure that the individual
understands what you are doing and agrees to it (known as giving their
CONSENT ). You should always record, in writing, the results of health checks
you carry out on individuals in your care.
Assisting with eating and drinking
A good diet is vital for maintaining good health, but eating and drinking is
also a social activity. Your role is to make sure that meal times are pleasurable
and to help individuals be as independent as possible. This may include:
•• providing specially adapted cutlery and crockery for independent
eating and drinking
•• cutting up food so that it is easier to digest
•• making sure food is at the right temperature
•• providing a pleasant environment for meals
•• when necessary, feeding the user of services with a fork or a spoon.
Individuals need to have the correct equipment for their needs: for
example, walking sticks need to be matched to an individual’s height.
Individuals also need to understand how to use the equipment in the right
way. For example, someone using a mobility scooter needs to know how
to drive it safely and confidently, and have arrangements for repairs and
general maintenance in place.
Assisting with personal care
The personal areas of daily living – such as washing, dressing, using the toilet,
shaving, bathing or showering, brushing your hair or putting your make-up
on – are activities that most of us take for granted. Most users of services
would prefer to do these things for themselves, and in private. However, for
many of the individuals you will support, doing these things for themselves is
a challenge. You can encourage them to be independent, but if they do need
your help, you should discuss their individual routines and preferences with
them. This helps individuals maintain their dignity and SELF-ESTEEM (their
sense of self-worth and how they value and feel about themselves).
Assisting with shopping
Most users of services supported by adult carers would prefer to do their
own shopping and manage their own budget. Mobility aids, transport to a
shopping centre and equipment such as special trolleys make this possible
for many individuals with disabilities and older people who are frail. For
others, online shopping is the answer. If users of services have problems
with memory or managing their money, you can help them to write
shopping lists, prioritise their needs and manage their money.
Which of the following are adult care assistants responsible for? (1 mark)
Select one option.
Link it up Managing budgets for the care setting
There is more Providing practical support for people who have difficulty with
information on care everyday activities
plans in Learning Leading staff teams in a care setting
aim C later in this
unit. Giving users of services welfare benefits advice
You can help users of services feel safe in two main ways.
1 Dealing with HAZARDS as soon as you notice them – for example, drying
a slippery floor and putting a warning sign in place.
2 Informing your manager of other hazards that you cannot put right
because they are beyond your level of COMPETENCE (your ability to do
something well) or responsibility (the requirements of your job role) –
for example, mending electrical equipment.
Note that a hazard is any potential health and safety danger or risk in your
workplace, while a RISK is the likelihood that something will cause harm to
an individual.
Maintaining good communication
Care staff and all those supporting users of services need to communicate
clearly and effectively, both with the user of services and with each other.
This may include communicating with family and friends, cleaners and
other visitors to the care setting. Communication will normally be face to
face but sometimes it will be by phone, text or email, or through letters or
other written records.
Face-to-face communication involves both VERBAL COMMUNICATION (using
words to communicate thoughts, ideas and feelings) and NON-VERBAL
COMMUNICATION (such as facial expressions and the way people stand),
which often provide a better idea of someone’s feelings and attitudes.
Developing effective working relationships
As you read earlier, adult care workers will almost always work as part of
a team. The care team may include those who work regularly in their care
setting – care managers, care assistants, cleaners and volunteers – but will
also include other professionals who contribute to care. For example, the
10
care manager and care assistants in a residential home may work with
doctors, nurses, social workers, physiotherapists and SPEECH THERAPISTS .
Speech therapists advise and treat individuals with language problems to
help them communicate more effectively.
These other workers may only visit occasionally and may require the
residential team to carry out routine tasks to improve users of services’
health and wellbeing, such as giving medicines or helping with regular
exercise. It is essential that all members of the team understand what is
required and work respectfully together to make sure that this happens.
Face-to-face conversations
with the users of services,
other care workers, family
members or friends
Care plans and Telephone
other users of conversations
services’ records
Sources of
information
Electronic
Filling in
messages via text,
forms
email, fax, etc.
Letters
In care settings, at the end of each shift, those finishing work and those
beginning their shift will have a HANDOVER MEETING , during which necessary
information about the users of services and the care setting is shared. You will
need good communication skills, a good rapport with colleagues and accurate
records to make sure that these handover meetings are effective.
Whatever the purpose of the information and however important it may or
may not seem, it must be:
• recorded accurately
• easily available to other members of the team
• where necessary, passed on swiftly to anyone who needs to know.
11
12
STEP 2 Listen to the user of services carefully and let them lead the discussion.
STEP 3 Reassure them that it was right to tell you. Remember not to make promises you cannot keep.
13
Practise
Imagine that one of your users of services has tripped over a trailing wire
and knocked her head. She seems to be confused. An ambulance is called.
1 Ask for a copy of the accident reporting form used at your care setting.
2 Complete the form as if the above incident had just happened.
3 Ask your tutor or a senior care worker at your care setting to check
the report.
• Is it clear? • Is it accurate? • Is it detailed enough?
What if…?
You are working in a residential care setting for individuals with learning
difficulties. You notice that there has been a change in the behaviour of one
of your residents, Rona, who is 35 years old. She is not eating well and is
beginning to lose weight. She is also spending most of her spare time in her
room. She rarely speaks to the other residents. You think that she might be
depressed. This is unusual as she had always been outgoing and sociable.
There is a care plan meeting due for Rona and you think that these changes
in behaviour must be discussed.
1 Describe the changes in Rona’s behaviour that you think should be
discussed at the meeting.
2 Why is it important to keep records of Rona’s daily routines and how she
relates to others in the care setting?
3 What are the potential dangers of not keeping accurate daily records?
4 Why is it important to report this information clearly at the care plan
meeting?
15
Fig. 124.—Three rows of the radula of Sistrum spectrum Reeve, Tonga, × 80.
The laterals to the right are not drawn in.
Several remarkable peculiarities occur. Harpa loses the radula
altogether in the adult. In the young it has lost only the laterals, and
consists of nothing but the central tooth. Marginella has no laterals;
the central tooth is small and comb-shaped, with blunt cusps. In
Voluta the laterals are generally lost, but in Volutomitra and one
species of Voluta[325] they are retained. The central tooth usually
has three strong cusps, and is very thick and coloured a deep red or
orange (Fig. 122); in the sub-genus Amoria it is unicuspid, in shape
rather like a spear-head with broadened wings; in Volutolyria it is of a
different type, with numerous unequal denticulations, something like
the laterals of Mitra or Fasciolaria. Of the Mitridae, Cylindromitra has
lost the laterals. Among the Buccinidae, Buccinopsis possesses a
curiously degraded radula, the central tooth having no cusps, but
being reduced to a thin basal plate, while the laterals are also
weakened. This degradation from the type is a remarkable feature
among radulae, and appears to be characteristic, sometimes of a
whole family, e.g. the Columbellidae (Fig. 123, B), sometimes of a
genus, sometimes again of a single species. Thus in Cantharus (a
sub-genus of Buccinum) the radula is typical in the great majority of
species, but in C. pagodus Reeve, a large and well-grown species, it
is most remarkably degraded, both in the central and lateral teeth
(Fig. 123, A). This circumstance is the more singular since C.
pagodus lives at Panama side by side with C. ringeus and C.
insignis, both of which have perfectly typical radulae. It is probable
that the nature of the food has something to do with the
phenomenon. Thus Sistrum spectrum Reeve was found to possess
a very aberrant radula, not of the common muricoid type, but with
very long reed-like laterals. This singularity was a standing puzzle to
the present writer, until he was fortunate enough to discover that S.
spectrum, unlike all other species of Sistrum, lives exclusively on a
branching coral.
The dental formula for the Rachiglossa is thus 1.1.1, except in
those cases where the laterals are absent, when it is 0.1.0.
Fig. 125.—Portion of the radula of Cassis sulcosa Born., × 40. The marginals to
the right are not fully drawn.
(c) The Taenioglossa comprise 46 families in all, of which the
most important are Tritonidae, Cassididae, Cypraeidae, Strombidae,
Cerithiidae, Turritellidae, Melaniidae, Littorinidae, Rissoidae,
Paludinidae, Ampullariidae, Cyclophoridae, Cyclostomatidae, and
Naticidae. The radula is characterised by a central tooth of very
variable form, the prevailing type being multicuspid, the central cusp
the largest, on a rather broad base; a single lateral, which is often a
broad plate, more or less cusped, and two uncini, rather narrow, with
single hooks, or slightly cusped. The accompanying figures of
Cassis, Vermetus, and Cypraea, and those of Littorina and
Cyclophorus given on pp. 20, 21, are good examples of typical
taenioglossate radulae.
Fig. 135.—Radula of
Elysia viridis Mont. ×
40. Type (a).