One of our goals here at CareBuilders is to promote our client’s independence while they perform their activities of daily living (ADLs). Our clients all have different conditions and abilities. We promote independence however we can, so lets talk about some of the times that is possible. Doing so is important to providing quality care to older adults.
Bathing, Toileting, and Showering
Some clients will need hands-on assistance while showering, toileting, and bathing. But not everyone needs complete help. Some only need help getting on and off the toilet or into and out of the shower, but no assistance once they get there. Some people only need someone to stay close outside the door to be there in case they fall. You can promote independence while showering or toileting by using adaptive devices.
Dressing
We let our clients do what they can when they are dressing. We also teach our caregivers techniques to help dressing older adults easier. I suggest using looser items that can be easily removed and put on.
Walking
Our caregivers can assist you with walking, and of course, you can also use assistive devices like walkers and canes. We honestly encourage those, since they once again promote independence. Our caregivers are also trained in how to respond to a fall.
Eating
We can also provide eating assistance. We find hand over hand feeding to be very useful. Our caregivers also will use soft foods, or foods that are cut up well, so that clients will be able to feed themselves.
In conclusion, we promote independence in our clients in various ways. This was just a description of some of them.
Written by Brigid Stakelum
