Any person who has any kind of disability need assistance. If the degree of disability is high, then the degree of assistance needed will be higher. Not every family can take care of the person who has a disability as there is a need for professional care. That is where disability support workers come into the picture. A disability worker needs to have the skills and knowledge to provide all kinds of services. He or she needs to adapt to different roles and responsibilities. This article serves as a guide for the employer, the client and the worker in assisting the disabled person.
Roles and responsibilities
1. The person should carry out all the designated tasks and duties assigned by the employer, who hired him or her.
2. The worker should monitor all the movements of the client. All the moments refer to different activities so that the client is out of the harm’s way.
3. Periodic checkup and status update of the client.
4. The assistance work also consists of many direct care tasks and duties. This comes to personal care and assistance. The personal care includes
- Taking the client to the toilet or assisting the client in toileting
- Bathing or showering as directed by the client
- Preparing different meals as instructed
- Dressing and grooming
- Assisting the disabled person in eating, sitting and sleeping.
- Assisting the person with his mobility and physical requirements. The training is provided for different kinds of physical requirements. The training is given prior to the client assignment.
- Assisting the client, wherever it is necessary. This includes gastrostomy feeding and training.
5. Daily life support to the client in various kinds of tasks and chores. The chores include many tasks in it. Such as
- Transportation as required at the time.
- Supporting and correcting the behavior of the client.
- Personal administration of the client, shopping with and for the client, bills paying and banking.
- Washing, cleaning, and ironing of client’s clothes.
- Supervision of medication, which includes giving the right medication at the right time.
- Making sure that the client is in good environmental condition and the surrounding is clean.
- Arranging and tidying of client’s things and room.
- Keeping track of different medical appointments, therapies and other medical requirements and making sure that the client attends all of them.
6. It is important to understand the client’s social needs. The worker should help the client in community inclusion and proper participation, assisting in individual needs, preferences, and abilities. It also includes establishing and maintaining the client’s interest and relationships through the community activities, services, venues and other things.
7. Perform all the therapy activities assigned by the therapist, which includes promoting the positive activities, routines, and duties in a respectful, cooperative, flexible and decent manner. The work should be purposeful and meaningful to the client.
8. Promote and encourage social and appropriate behavior and manage the challenging behavior in an effective manner.
9. Empower the client and help them to make right choices.
10. Abide by all the service related communication, client’s progress reporting, details of the procedures, proper maintenance of client’s records, and updates.
11. The worker should work with client’s family members, relatives and other members with a supportive and collaborative attitude.
12. Quick response to a crisis situation with given procedures, policies, code of conduct and first aid by following the guidelines is important.
13. Take part in the client’s program and its outcome.
14. Participation in different training procedures and workshops.
15. Applying the procedures depending on the social conditions and safe environment.
14. Maintaining the present knowledge and the understanding of guidelines, departmental policies, organizational values, and procedures.
16. Self-update and adaptation of new methodology, procedures, and guidelines given by the client.
17. To assist the client in future improvement and development.
Conclusion
Overall, the disability support worker is a helper, guide, and educator to the client. The person needs to take all of these roles and responsibilities to fulfill all the needs of the client in both normal and emergency conditions.
For more information about disability support jobs visit here
