clinical focus
clients feel comfortable talking about their depression or their
isolation or their loneliness – then the care workers can address
those things. People’s functionality improved in the project.
Functionality is a big thing; it [meant] reconnection with
community, reconnection with neighbours, being able to get
back out again. The programs had been specially tailored for
each person; they were all supported in their program and [those
elements] worked, they were effective. The clients talked about
prevention, how they understood that the programs they were
involved with were preventing functional decline so they were
able to walk further, breathe better, put their washing on the line
confidently, go out with neighbours. They also talked about the
new confidence that they had. So as well as the physical effects [of
the program], there was this psychological effect. They felt more
confident, so they were able to take more risks and do more things.
They also recognised that there was a reciprocity between
the client and the care worker. The clients could see how the
workers were appreciating the positive outcomes. As the clients
improved, and their quality of life improved, there was much
satisfaction for the care workers who were involved in the
program. There were many positive things, but underpinning all
that was the empowering of the care workers by the managers
and the registered nurses and the allied health professionals.
The care workers had support while they were implementing
the program, just as the clients were receiving support. That
was essential.
You said the relationship between caregiver and receiver
was crucial. What are some of the important elements of this
relationship?
There was an authenticity there. There were authentic partnerships
between the care worker and the client. The care worker wasn’t
coming in as the person with all the answers. The worker took on
this inquiry: what’s best, or what does the client want? There was
a real partnership between the two of them. There were also solid
communication skills. They had been built before this program
started. The care workers had been with their clients for some
time, so they’d already developed a level of communication. This,
and the attitude that underpinned authentic partnership, were the
essential things to make this work.
Again, it’s support at all levels. The care workers were supported
in what they were doing by management, registered nurses and
allied health professionals. They could then go and give that
support to the clients. There was education for the care workers,
because they were nervous about doing it. They didn’t think they
had the skills, and they were the most appropriate ones to do the
program with the clients.
The other thing was that the allied health person who developed
[each] exercise program went into the client’s house and did the
exercises with the client where they [would normally be doing
them]. So clients had the memory of doing the exercise with the
allied health worker [in that location]. Then there were posters put
up to remind the client of what was involved. n
AMH IS ON THE MOVE
Australian Medicines
Handbook
Aged Care Companion
As from the 2nd of May our
new address will be Level 13,
33 King William St, Adelaide, SA 5000
Our postal address remains the same:
PO Box 240, Rundle Mall PO, Adelaide, SA 5000
Our new phone number is 08 7099 8800
Children’s Dosing
Companion
Our new fax number is 08 7099 8899
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