Caregiver Training Program

1. Intro to Caregiving

ü Why this field?

ü Are you suited for it?

ü Levels of Care

ü Core Competencies

ü Personality

ü Intentionality

2. Legal/Ethics

ü Legal and ethical issues and resident rights (at least two classroom hours)

ü Confidentiality (HIPAA)

ü Ethical principles

ü Resident rights specified in R9-10-713

ü Abuse, neglect, and exploitation

3. Basic CGR Skills

a. Resident [Health] Management

ü Levels of care within an assisted living facility

ü Impact of each level of care on residents

ü Taking vital signs and measuring height and weight

ü Maintaining a resident’s environment

ü Observing and reporting pain

ü Assisting with diagnostic tests

ü Aiding residents with drains and tubes

ü Recognizing and reporting abnormal changes to a supervisor

ü Applying clean bandages

ü Providing peri-operative care

ü Assisting ambulation of residents including transferring and using assistive devices

ü Bathing, caring for skin, and dressing

ü Caring for teeth and dentures

ü Shampooing and caring for hair

ü Caring for nails

ü Toileting, caring for perineum, and caring for ostomy

ü Feeding and hydration including proper feeding techniques and use of assistive devices in

ü feeding

ü Preventing pressure sores

ü Maintaining and treating skin

b. Resident Relationship

ü Communication and interpersonal skills (at least two classroom hours)

ü Components of effective communication

ü Styles of communication

ü Attitude in communication

ü Barriers to effective communication

ü Culture

ü Language

ü Physical and mental disabilities

ü Techniques of communication

c. Job & Self-Management

ü Job management skills (at least one classroom hour)

ü Stress management

ü Time management3

4. Food

ü Nutrition and food preparation (at least two classroom hours)

ü Basic nutrition

ü Menu planning and posting

ü Procuring, handling, and storing food safely

ü Special diets

5. Home/Environment

ü Fire, safety, and emergency procedures (at least two classroom hours)

ü Emergency planning

ü Medical emergencies

ü Environmental emergencies

ü Fire safety

ü Fire drills and evacuations

ü Fire-code requirements

ü Home environment and maintenance (at least two classroom hours)

ü Housekeeping

ü Laundry

ü Physical plant

6. Medication Management

ü Medication management (at least 16 classroom hours)

ü Determining whether a resident needs assistance with medication administration and if

ü so, the nature of the assistance

ü Assisting a resident to self –administer medication

ü Observing, documenting, and reporting changes in resident condition before and after

ü medication is administered

ü Knowing the five rights of a resident in medication administration

ü Knowing classifications of and responses to medications

ü Taking, reading, and implementing physician medication and treatment orders

ü Storing medication properly and securely

ü Documenting medication and treatment services

ü Maintaining records of medication and treatment services

ü Using medication organizers properly

ü Storing and documenting use of narcotic drugs and controlled substances

ü Understanding how metabolism and physical conditions affect medication absorption

ü Knowing the proper administration of all forms of medication

ü Using drug-reference guides (PDR)

ü Preventing, identifying, documenting, reporting, and responding to medication errors

7. Resident Health

a. Physical

ü Infection control (at least three classroom hours)

ü Common types of infectious diseases

ü Preventing infection

ü Controlling infection

ü Washing hands

ü Using gloves

ü Disposing of sharps and other waste

ü Skills for basic restorative services (at least two classroom hours)

ü Understanding body mechanics

ü Assisting resident self-care

ü Using assistive devices for transferring, walking, eating, and dressing

ü Assisting with range-of-motion exercises

ü Providing bowel and bladder training

ü Assisting with care for and use of prosthetic and orthotic devices

ü Facilitating family and group activities

a. Mental/Cognitive/Behavioral

ü Mental health and social service needs (at least three classroom hours)

ü Modifying the caregiver’s behavior in response to resident behavior

ü Understanding the developmental tasks associated with the aging process

ü Responding to resident behavior

ü Promoting resident dignity

ü Providing culturally sensitive care

ü Caring for the dying resident

ü Interacting with the resident’s family

ü Care of the cognitively impaired resident (at least four classroom hours)

ü Anticipating and addressing the needs and behaviors of residents with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease

ü Communicating with cognitively impaired residents

ü Understanding the behavior of cognitively impaired residents

ü Reducing the effects of cognitive impairment

8. Administration/Reporting

ü Mandatory reporting

ü Service plans (at least two classroom hours). Developing, using, and maintaining resident

ü service plans

ü Do not resuscitate (DNR) order and advanced directives