CHAPTER II: INDIVIDUALISED SUPPORT
Support workers provide support and care according to the client’s individualised care
plan. Care plans provide care directions for the client’s holistic care needs. Holistic
includes physical, emotional, spiritual, cultural and social needs.
Care plans are develop with a person centred approach. A person-centred approach to
care planning focuses on the needs, strengths and goals of the individual and a plan is
developed to assist the individual to meet their individual needs. The aims of a personcentred approach
to care and planning are person empowerment and control over
their life and life goals.
Care plans are regularly reviewed and updated by relevant stakeholders (e.g. client,
family members, doctor and registered nurse) to meet changing needs to ensure the
care plan goals are being achieved. They can be reviewed as required: every three
months, six months and/or twelve months depending upon the client’s individual
needs.
All staff, including yourself, will be responsible for maintaining the care plans for
people in your care. It is part of your role and responsibility to document and report
to your supervisor any changes in the person’s condition and needs.
It is important to know where to located and understand the organisations policy and
procedures in relation to documents and the care planning process. Always ask your
supervisor for directions and clarification if you are ever unsure.
1. Ageing and disability
Ageing
With increasing number of older adults in the population and increasing associated
health costs, aged care has gained a significant national profile. There is now a clearly
recognised need for an appropriate range of choices in residential aged care, respite
care and community based care where the person can stay in their home longer. The
philosophy in providing support for our
ageing population is now seen to involve:
more consideration of the issues
affecting the older adult's ability to be
independent
a focus on social and family networks
providing increased support
increased assistance for the older
adult to remain at home, leading as
active a life as possible
increased recognition of the rights of the aged
education of the aged to pursue their rights
free access to mufti-disciplinary health assessment
use of institutional care only as a final resort
varied institutional settings allowing for high level care only when
necessary
emphasis on preventive programs
Ageing is caused by lifelong accumulation of damage, it begins early. It is important to
embrace lifelong approaches to healthy ageing. The following are some of the factors
that affect the older person requiring support:
Attitudinal barriers – These are behaviours and perceptions about
ageing and disability that cause difficulty or misunderstanding with them
and other individuals. Some attitudinal barriers include:
o Presumption that older individuals are given unfair advantages.
o Presumption that older individuals are incapable of accomplishing
tasks and not given the opportunity to display their skills.
o Because older individuals may be impaired in one or more major
life functions, some people treat them as second-class citizens.
o Some people feel sorry for older individuals, which tends to lead
to patronising attitudes.
Physical health condition
Social, emotional and mental health condition of the older person
Access to support from family, carers, financial capacity, etc.
Other factors include personal choice (how to exercise and preserve it), biological and
psychological barriers to independence, and consideration for carer’s health and
wellbeing.
When an ageing person has an informal carer, the changes they experience can affect
the degree of assistance they provide. Informal carer is broadly defined and refers to
any relative, partner, friend, or neighbour who has a significant personal relationship
with a person and provides a broad range of assistance for them. Service providers
must respect and acknowledge the needs of the carer. If these needs are not met the
carer may become distressed and depressed. This can have a negative impact not only
on them but also on the person they are caring for.
Another issue older adults can face is stereotyping. Stereotypes can be defined as
characteristics assigned to entire groups of people. Stereotypes however tend to be
biased and are often unflattering ideas about the characteristics of particular groups
of people. Stereotypes about ageing and the older adults picture all members of the
group as having the same generally undesirable characteristics. Grey hair, forgetful,
short-sightedness, deafness, wrinkles, bad temper and intolerance of the young are
common ageist attitudes of the older person.
Stereotyping tends to encourage certain attitudes and confirm undesirable
perceptions of the group it is applied to. As a result this can cause discrimination
towards older adults. This can also cause what are known as `self-fulfilling
prophecies', if older adults are stereotyped often enough they can start to believe in the
truth of the stereotype and this in turn makes them start to act in the way they are
depicted.
Discrimination against clients can be minimised or prevented if policies and
procedures about this is set in place. The Aged Care Act 1997 (the Act) makes sure
everyone who needs aged care has access to it, where it is available, regardless of their
race, culture, language, gender, economic circumstance or geographic location.
Managers and supervisors know the policies about caring for older adults and can offer
guidance on ageist attitudes. There are also brochures and books put out by the
government departments with advice on stopping ageist attitudes.
Stereotyping and Ageing
1. What are the common stereotypes or discriminating
attitudes about ageing that you know or you’ve heard of?
2. How do you think would the older people feel when they
hear about these stereotypes discriminating attitudes?
