Unit 1

1.
a. Members of the healthcare team for Mr. jones
i. The doctor: to manage the overall care of Mr. jones
ii. Physiotherapist: observe, record and perform diagnostic test for Mr. jones
iii. Home support worker: Attend to all Mr. jones needs while his outside the hospital
b. 5 duties I’ll perform for Mr. Jones
i. Housekeeping
ii. Preparing meals
iii. Assisting in walking
iv. Assist with personal care
v. Assist with toileting

2. Reasons for the revival of home support services

a. Personalized care and individual attention
b. High cost of care in hospitals and nursing homes
c. Increase in the number of elderly people
d. People feel happier and more secure in their homes

3. Things to do to help ease my client in an individual care setting

a. Introduce myself to the person and state my agency’s name
b. Discuss my duties and let the client know that I will work in a suitable manner
c. Listen to my client’s questions and concerns and refer to my supervisor when
necessary
d. Allow individualization of my client’s living space

Things to do to help ease my client in a shared care setting

a. Spend a few minutes getting to know each other
b. Provide my client with as much privacy as needed
c. Introduce client to the other clients
d. Spend a little more time with the client for the first few days to ease their transition
e. Explain the routine to the client, show them around and show them how things
work

4. Meaning of the following words

a. Trustworthiness: The act of being worthy of the confidence of others
b. Ethics: following the standard of rules that apply to HSW. I do this by carrying out
my responsibilities in a timely manner and showing respect for my client
 c. Team: 2 or more people working together to accomplish a task. Sometimes a client
requires 2 HSWs and we have to work together to provide care.
d. Accuracy: freedom from mistake and error. I shouldn’t make mistakes in giving client
meds. evening pills shouldn’t be mixed up with the night pills.
e. Observation: use all your 5 senses to monitor client. I am constantly assessing my
client for any changes to their status.
f. Liability: any behaviour that will hinder or damage the individual or the agency. If I
follow the rules, the agency will protect me from any liability that comes with the
nature of the job. So, I have to be careful at all times and make sure I’m following
the rules.
g. Confidentiality: do not leak information about a client. As a HSW I encounter client’s
confidential information. I have a duty to not divulge that information.
h. Support: help or promote interest of. I have to help my client’s with their ADLs

5. My job is very important because I am enabling people get access to care from the
comfort of their homes. I am helping improve their quality of life and making day-to-day
living easier and more enjoyable for them.

6. 4 ethics in home support

a. Be dependable and reliable. I try to always be on time so my client is not left alone
b. Keeping client information confidential. Not discussing my client with others except
someone in the healthcare team if it is necessary for improving my client’s health.
c. Respect clients decision. It is their home so in all the decisions I make I try to
maintain my client’s autonomy
d. Be honest in my dealings. I don’t withhold any beneficial information from the
agency or the client’s family.

Unit 2
1. 4 parts od the communication cycle
a. Sender: person who wants to send a message
b. Message: information to be shared with others
c. Route: means by which the message is shared
d. Receiver: person or people who message is sent to

2. Identifying the sender, message, route, and receiver

a. Sender: Mrs Jones; Message: she is nervous; Route: through touch; Receiver: me
b. Sender: HSW; Message: HSW is irritated; Route: facial expression: Receiver: client
c. Sender: Me; Message: I am angry; Route: facial expression (eye roll); receiver: client
 d. Sender: Me; Message: contents of my shift report; Route: report form; receiver:
coworker

3. How I would respond and why

a. Response: it’s okay to feel frightened. The doctors are experienced, and they’ll take
good care of you.
Why: I have to validate the client’s concerns and also reassure them

b. Response: what are your concerns about living with your daughter?
Why: I’m asking a probing question to help my client reach a solution

c. Response: it’s okay to be afraid. What concerns you the most about your health that
makes you feel like you’ll die?
Why: validating the client’s concerns while trying to find out what their worry is

d. Response: what do you not like about the pills? Do you understand why the doctor
ordered these for you?
Why: im trying to determine how much the client knows about the medication, because
the refusal to take the pills might come from lack of knowledge. If not, then the other
question will get the client to express their concerns

e. Response: I’m sorry about your son. It must be tough for you. Is there anything I can do
to help?
Why: this is a personal matter, so I don’t want to probe the client on this. I’m focusing
on how I can help my client feel better. Again, I’m validating my client’s concerns.

4. Communicating with a hearing-impaired client

a. Speak in a loud voice but don’t yell
b. Encourage client to wear hearing aid if they have one
c. Approach client from the front, so they see me before I speak
d. Keep background noise to a minimum
e. Ensure good lighting
f. Face client squarely when speaking to them

5. Communicating with a visually impaired client

a. Encourage client to wear glasses and keep them clean always to ensure optimal vision
b. Ensure the environment is well lit and avoid glare from sunlight and polished surfaces
c. Give detailed instructions and communicate each step of the process when bathing for
example. So, they always know where my hands are going, and they can expect contact.
d. Ensure your client uses the resources that are available to them such as functional aids
e. Do not leave or enter the client’s presence without communicating with them
6. Feedback is important because the receiver must understand the message for
communication to be effective. By using feedback, you can determine how much
information the person understood and explain the ones they don’t understand better to
them.

7. This will prevent the family members from withholding important information from the
supervisor. It also protects me as a HSW from liability because the agency can only protect
me from liability when I have acted within the responsibilities that they gave to me.

Unit 3
1.
a. Physical needs: things our body needs to survive like food and water
b. Safety needs: need to protection like a place to call home and insurance
c. social needs: the desire for affectionate relationships which results in us having friends,
belonging to social groups and having loving relationships.
d. self esteem needs: need to have a good opinion about oneself and that others share in that
opinion. Our behaviours are focused on making others have a good opinion of us
e. Self fulfillment needs we need to feel that we are fulfilling our potential. The way this is
shown differs from person to person. For some it might be the desire to be the perfect parent
or the best at school, work, sports, etc.

2a. Social needs

b. Safety needs
c. Social needs
d. self esteem needs
e. Physical needs
f. Safety needs
g. Self fulfillment needs
h. Safety needs
3.
A
1st full recovery from illness
2nd enough to drink
3rd house insurance
4th needing your family around you
5th feeling of usefulness

B
1st having meds and prescriptions in time
2nd a safe environment
3rd wanting your wife with you
4th Wanting to return to work
5th sense of usefulness

4.
a. Safety needs
b. Social needs
c. Safety needs
d. Physical needs
e. Self esteem needs
f. Safety needs
g. Social needs
h. Self fulfillment needs
i. safety needs
j. Physical needs
5.
a. Seriousness of illness
b. Length of illness
c. Relationship to the ill family member

6.

a. Worry about taking care of the children

b. Worry about taking care of the household duties
c. Refusing to take on additional responsibilities
d. Easily irritable due to stress and pressure
e. Lack of love from the husband as his partner is ill

Unit 4

1. Infection control is important to my client because most times my clients have suppressed
immunities from other illnesses. I must make sure that they are not getting infected with
anything else. It is important to me because I must protect myself too. Also, I may be caring
for more than one client so if I get sick I can transfer it to another client or my loved ones.
2.
a. Germs: there must be a source of germs such as a sick person and the items they use.
b. Way to travel: germs can survive on a person’s hands or their belongings. And they will
be carried from place to place
c. Susceptible person: the germs find a person to cause infection. Most times this person’s
immunity is already weakened so they infect them easily.
d. Infection: once the germs have found a susceptible person, they then infect that person.
And the cycle repeats itself over again
I can break the chain of infection by practicing good hand hygiene. Washing my hands with
soap and water for at least 20 seconds and paying attention to the areas that are mostly
forgotten. I can also break the chain of infection by wearing protective clothing such as gown
and gloves. These materials are disposable, so the germs are thrown away and do not touch my
clothing which I’ll carry everywhere with me.

3.
a. Should have washed hands before going in the kitchen to prepare breakfast
b. Washed hands before touching dentures
c. Washed hands after emptying urinal contents
d. After using the bathroom
e. After putting the soiled linen in the washer

4.

a. Emptying urinal
b. cleaning dentures
c. Emptying bed pan
d. cleaning vomit
e. Back rub

5.doing laundry
a. Do not shake soiled linen
b. Put soiled linen in proper receptacle
c. Hold soiled linen away from body
d. Do laundry in a timely manner

Handling food
a. Select and store food carefully. Watch out for broken seals and packages
b. clean work area and utensils after every use
c. Use separate cutting boards for fruits and meats. If only one is available wash with hot water
and soap between each food type
d. Cook food thoroughly and use a clean spoon for each taste when necessary
e. Cover food until it’s ready to be served and eaten
f. Handle food eaten raw and eggs with extra care
g. Don’t touch the inside of plates and glasses
h. Wash utensils in a timely manner

6.

a. Leaving jewelry at home so it doesn’t interfere with hand hygiene

b. Shower daily to clean off bacteria and other microbes that might be on the skin
c. Cover long hair to avoid it getting into food and infecting it
d. Trim fingernails because it’s hard to wash away germs when fingernails are long
e. Wear clean clothes because dirty clothes can carry microbes around

7.
a. Cross contamination: germs from one person have been transmitted to another
b. Contagious: can spread from person to person quickly
c. Isolation: keeping infected person away from others to break the chain of infection
d. Protective clothing: gowns, mask, gloves and cap which are easily disposable to prevent
infection spreading
e. Chain of infection: things necessary for infection to occur. Show how an infection is
transmitted from one person to another

Unit 5
1. 5 general rules for lifting:
 a. Stand close to the object you are going to lift
b. Straddle the object while keeping your back straight and your knees bent
c. Grasp the object firmly and make sure that it doesn’t slip
d. Slowly straighten your legs and then your back
e. Hold object and draw it in close to your body

2. 6 guidelines when assisting with activities of daily living:

a. Walking: making sure client is wearing proper footwear. I do this by ensuring the client
is wearing non-skid footwear. I check to make sure the shoes are still in good condition,
as wear and tear could pose a fall risk.
b. Eating: feeding the client in an upright position. I make sure the client is sitting and if
they can’t by themselves then I’ll elevate the head of the bed. I’ll keep them this way for
about 30 mins after eating to prevent aspiration.
c. Commode: client should be comfortable seated on the commode. I do this first by
making sure that the commode is in good condition. If it isn’t stable enough my client
could fall.
d. Toileting: ensure client’s privacy is maintained. For most clients using the toilet on their
own, I’ll let them go in and, if its okay with them, I won’t close the door fully. If not, then
I’ll let them close the door but stay outside so I can hear if they fall or if they call out to
me when they need anything.
e. Wheelchair: secure client properly in the wheelchair. I make sure the brakes are always
on and the seatbelt is fastened. Even if its only to move a short distance, I have to
ensure my client is safe.
f. Walker: support clients’ weaker side. I also make sure that when we are walking
through rough patches or down/up a hill I always have a hand on the walker to steady
my client

3. 4 Incorrect things Jane did

a. She shouldn’t have pulled his arm
b. She shouldn’t have told him to walk quickly
c. She shouldn’t have walked to his right, his left is the weaker side
d. She shouldn’t have told him to use the nightstand for support, it is an insecure object

4. Client needs
a. Crutches
b. Cane
c. Walker

5. 3 safety precautions for tub bath:

a. Never leave client in tub unattended
b. If client becomes sick or faints, drain the water immediately
 c. Asses the condition of the patients skin and report any abnormalities to the supervisor

6. Guidelines John didn’t follow

a. Don’t be in a hurry: he was rushing
b. Focus on the task: his mind was elsewhere
c. Feed small amounts of food: he was heaping food on the spoon
d. Keep client sitting for 30mins after meal: he put him in bed for a nap right after eating

Unit 6
1.
a. The needs and preference of the client as the routine is for their care
b. Size of the home so tasks can be effectively carried out without the HSW overworking
c. Ages of the people living in the home because age determines what amount a care a client
needs
d. Number of people in the home because the worker shouldn’t spend too much time with only
one person. Everyone should be receiving relatively equal amounts of care.

2.
a. Should have taken all the dirty dishes at the same time to save himself the stress of multiple
trips
b. Should have started the load in the washer before doing the dishes. That way a load would
have been washed by the time he was done with the dishes and ready to go in the drier
c. He should have organized everything he needed for cleaning the bathroom before going in.
d. Should have cleaned the spill when it happened so he didn’t have to keep rushing up and
down

3.
Daily
a. Dishes
b. Sweeping the floors
c. Mopping the floors
d. Emptying wastebaskets
Weekly
a. Polish floors
b. Change bed linen
c. Damp mop window sills
d. Vacuum upholstery
Monthly
a. Clean light fixtures
b. Vacuum draperies
c. Wash ornaments
d. Dust picture frames

4.
a. Prevent spread of germs
b. Makes meal preparation easier
c. Accidents less likely to occur
d. Discourage pests and rodents
e. Storage is easier when it’s organized

5.
a. home support worker
b. Family members
c. Family members
d. Family members
e. home support worker
f. home support worker
g. Family members
h. home support worker
i. family members
h. HSW

6.
Load 1: Bedsheets, pillowcases, night gowns
Load 2: white underwear, towels, face cloth
Load 3: coloured tablecloth, coloured sweatshirts

Unit 7

1.
a. Enjoy a variety of foods
b. Emphasize cereals, breads, other grain products, fruits and vegetables
c. Choose low fat dairy products and lean meat
d. Enjoy regular physical activity and eat healthy
e. Limit salt, alcohol, and caffeine

2.
a. Proteins: provide materials for the body to produce cells, tissues and organs. Keep immune
system in working order
b. Carbs: provide the body with energy to carry out activities
c. Vitamins and minerals: vitamins are needed to release the energy in food and by the immune
system. Minerals helps vitamins do their job and help the immune system

3.
Breakfast: a bowl of whole grain cereal and some fruit
Mid morning snack: slice of whole wheat toast and a cup of tea
Lunch: a healthy salad
Mid afternoon snack: yoghurt with fruits in it
Dinner: soup and baked potatoes with vegetables

4.
a. Peanut butter
b. Sugar
c. Salt
d. Raspberry jam
e. Raspberry jam

5.
a. Cupboard in the kitchen
b. Shelf in the bathroom
c. Fridge
d. Cupboard in the kitchen
e. Freezer
f. Counter
g. Fridge
h. Fridge
i. freezer
j. Freezer

6.
a. Offer clients’ best foods
b. Offer food in small quantities frequently
c. Keep ready to eat snacks on hand
d. Offer energy dense foods
e. Encourage client to drink only small amounts of fluid

Unit 8
1. Myths they believe
a. Similarity
b. Inflexibility
c. Sexuality
d. Loneliness
e. Senility

2. Why myths are wrong

a. Similarity: age does not make people lose their individuality. All old people are not the
same.
b. Inflexibility: old people are not all stubborn and grumpy. The difference is they rarely
get asked why the are grumpy
c. Sexuality: many old people continue to have sexual relations. We shouldn’t desexualize
them
d. Loneliness: not all old people are lonely. Even if they are alone, most times it is by
choice
e. Senility: some memory loss is common with old age but this doesn’t mean all old people
are confused.

3. Implications for care

a. Be careful and gentle with the skin. Use sunscreen
b. Prevent falls and other injuries because it won’t heal as well as other age groups
c. Be alert to signs of fatigue and never rush or startle your client
d. Respond quickly to bathroom requests, don’t allow client to drink to much water before
bed
e. Eliminate excessive background noise and speak distinctly and directly to the client
f. Ensure food is well flavoured and attractive to eat. Keep treats on hand
g. Assess skin regularly for burns, cuts, pressure wounds, etc.
h. Ensure adequate lighting and always use a night light
4. Examples of client behaviour at each stage of the dying process
a. Refusing treatment and talking about possible errors in diagnosis
b. Lashing out at family members, being fussy
c. Saying things like “if only I can do this then I can die peacefully”
d. Sadness and not talking very much
e. A sense of calmness and compliance with given directives

5. Types of activities
a. 75-year-old widow: religious activities, arts and crafts, service project activities
b. Carpenter: service projects, arts and crafts
c. Housewife: social activities

Unit 9
1. Symptoms
a. Short term memory loss
b. Confusion
c. Emotional reactions
d. Physical losses
e. Difficulty communicating

2. Describe diseases
a. Alzheimer’s disease: accounts for over half of the cases of dementia. It is unique in
people but mostly causes short term memory loss and confusion
b. Multi infarct disease: person suffers from many small strokes over a period of time.
Symptoms vary depending on the location of the brain affected by the stroke.

3. Type of memory affected

a. Episodic memory
b. Short term memory
c. Semantic memory
d. Procedural memory

4. Client behaviours associated with type of memory loss

 a. Short term memory: forgetting they had a doctors appointment scheduled for today
b. Confusion: going to the kitchen to get a glass of water and forgetting what he/she
wanted to do
c. Emotional reaction: telling the HSW to go home because they don’t know them and
threatening to call the police
d. Physical losses: loss of control over bladder

5. Guidelines
a. Don’t take it personally. Remain calm and speak slowly and distinctly
b. Try to redirect my client’s attention with a game of cards or some repetitive tasks
c. Ask narrow questions like would like some toast with a cup of tea instead of what do
you want for lunch
d. Wait till later in the day or the next day and use a calm and unhurried approach, sing
songs to keep client’s mind occupied.
e. Go along with it and ask her more questions about the party
f. Respond to the emotional reaction directly by putting an arm around her shoulders and
comforting her

6. Safety hazards
a. Kitchen: appliances like a kettle, utensils like knives
b. Bathroom: slippery floor, mixing up cosmetics e.g., using eye cream as toothpaste
c. Bedroom: tripping over long blankets hanging over bed, suffocating hazard from too
many bed accessories like pillows and stuffed toys
d. Living room burns from candles or lamps, choking hazard on small decorations

Unit 10
1. Myths about disabilities
a. Not all disabilities include hearing loss so you don’t always shave to speak loudly
b. Not all people with disabilities are cognitively impaired so they have a right to make
their own decisions
c. Everyone is allowed to move around within the community. They have a life
d. People with disabilities think and feel the same as others.
e. They can speak for themselves, and we shouldn’t deprive them of their dignity
 f. They are people too so they should be allowed to enjoy the good things of life like
relationships
g. They can have fun and find interest in things just like other people
h. Because people share a disability doesn’t mean they have the same interests or
concerns

2. Guidelines that were ignored

a. Referring to the disability and not to the person by saying paraplegic
b. Assuming that he can’t do anything for himself
c. Talked about client in a derogatory manner

3. Replacing words
a. Cripple: physically disabled
b. Victim: disability
c. Invalid: visually impaired
d. Spastic: having multiple sclerosis
e. Inflicted: disabled since birth
f. Deformed: born with
g. Incapacitated: disabled by
h. Unfortunate: special

4. Etiquette
a. Wheelchair is part of persons personal space so don’t hang on to it
b. Allow the person to take your arm so that you can guide the person and not lead or drag
them
c. Place yourself at eye level to avoid both of you getting a stiff neck
d. Maintain eye contact and be sure your mouth is not covered when speaking
e. Consider distance, weather conditions, and physical obstacles such as curbs and hills
f. Say the name of the person who you are speaking too and indicate when the
conversation is over
g. Do not rush the person and ask simple questions that require simple responses or
yes/no answers
5. Special considerations
a. Let the client set the pace, do not hurry them in any way. Hold doors open for them and
keep them open until the client goes through
b. Always identify yourself and speak in a normal tone of voice. Let them know before you
leave or enter a room.
Unit 11
1. Safety hazards
a. Grandmother: falls, burns, and overdose
b. 12year old daughter: accidents while playing, poisoning
c. 3year old: electrocution from cords, choking, smothering, burns, and falls
d. Mother: drug overdose, burns, automobile accidents

2. Safety precautions
a. Keep kitchen uncluttered and well organized, do not wax the floors or they will become
too slippery, wipe up spills right away, and keep electrical cords away from counter
edges
b. Living room/dining room: arrange furniture so edges are not out in the way, keep floors
free of clutter, do not use furniture with wheels, keep rugs and carpets in good
condition.
c. Bathroom: place non-skid strips or mats on the floor of the shower or tub, inform your
client not to use electric appliances while in the shower, help your client to step over
the edge when getting out.
d. Stairways: keep stairways well lit, keep objects off the stairway, wipe up all spills
immediately, don’t place rugs at the top or bottom of the stairway

3. See that everyone is out of danger, close any doors to help contain fire in as few spaces as
possible, don’t fight fire in a room filled with smoke, use baking soda instead of water to
extinguish grease fires, turn of heat from any pan with burning contents.

4. History of abuse, financial problems, inadequate housing, health problems, overworked and
inadequately skilled caregivers

5. Types of abuse
a. Physical abuse: involves physical violence like hitting, pushing, or shoving. It can also
involve over medicating. An example of this is giving a client too many sleeping pills so
they sleep through the night and don’t bother you
b. Psychological abuse: includes bullying, name calling, and threatening. An example of this
is threatening to force feed a client who has lack of appetite.
 c. Financial abuse: theft of money or property. An example is telling a client the groceries
cost more than they should and using the extra money to buy stuff for yourself.
d. Neglect abuse: denying individuals adequate nutrition and medical attention. An
example is ignoring your client to watch tv or use your phone.

Unit 12
1. Positive stress helps you concentrate and focus, it helps us to survive. Positive stress helps
you meet a challenging situation. Negative stress your body stays geared up and you do not
relax. The result of this is negative and emotional strain.

2. Increasing stress levels

a. Losing a job can cause financial insecurity and it can make one stress about how to pay
bills
b. Loss of a loved one can cause emotional stress because that emotional connection is
lost
c. Retirement can cause stress by enforced leisure and income changes
d. Changes in health can cause stress by the pressure from doctor’s appointments and too
many medical procedures
e. Change in your lifestyle can cause stress because you might be used to having a car and
having things easy for you and then all that will change.

3. Physical symptoms of stress

a. Heart racing
b. Muscle tense
c. Blood pressure up
d. Hands cold and clammy
e. Stomach tense
f. Heart rate soars
g. Muscles in knots
h. Hands perspire
i. Stomach in knots

4. 3 basic approaches to stress management

a. Learning to relax
b. Developing a positive lifestyle
 c. Developing a positive attitude
5. Method for practicing techniques
a. Deep breathing: take a comfortable position and inhaling deeply and hold it in for a few
seconds. Exhale slowly with your lips pursed as if you want to whistle. Repeat cycle 3 or
4 times each session.
b. Clearing your mind: give your self a mental break and focus on one pleasant thought.

6. Techniques to develop a more positive attitude

a. Positive self-talk: telling my self I can instead of I cannot when I’m faced with challenges
b. Rehearsal: prepare for a situation by thinking about what you can do
c. Developing an alternate action plan: always have a back up plan in case things do not go
the way you plan.

7. Self care
a. Good nutrition
b. Exercise regularly
c. Get good sleep
d. Be organized
e. Rehearse for situations