Caring for Yourself While Caring for Others

Training modules

The seven modules in this curriculum are designed to be flexible–use as a course or a supplement to existing training. Each module has:

• Trainer’s guides with preparation tips, suggested materials, a lesson plan, and detailed delivery instruction for each activity;
• Slide presentations to highlight key training points; and
• Participant handouts with tips, references, activity instructions, and worksheets.

Module 1: An introduction to homecare health and safety

In Module 1, participants learn to understand the importance of homecare worker health and safety; recognize the four main areas of risk; and describe strategies for ensuring their own health and safety

Module 2: Tips for reducing sprains, strains, and falls while doing housekeeping and caring for clients

In Module 2, participants learn to outline the possible risks from reaching, pushing, and carrying while housekeeping and caring for clients; describe strategies and tools to reduce risks; explain safe moving and transfer techniques; and demonstrate positive problem-solving with clients.

Module 3: Tips for reducing risks and environmental exposures when providing homecare

In Module 3, participants learn to identify common environmental risks homecare workers may be exposed to; outline the potential impacts from environmental risks; describe strategies and tools that can reduce risks; and follow positive problem-solving steps with clients.

Module 4: Tips for reducing exposure to bloodborne and other infectious diseases

In Module 4, participants learn to identify the key standard precaution steps; outline the pathways through which homecare workers are exposed to risks from bloodborne and other infectious diseases; describe strategies and tools to reduce risks; and follow positive problem-solving steps with clients.

Module 5: Tips for staying safe when working with clients with dementia

In Module 5, participants learn to identify the health and safety risks of working with people with dementia; explain factors that contribute to clients with dementia becoming agitated and potentially dangerous to themselves and homecare workers; discuss approaches to make homecare workers as physically safe as they can be when working with clients with dementia; and apply effective techniques to keep clients with dementia calm and manage situations when they become agitated and potentially dangerous.

Module 6: Tips for setting healthy and safe boundaries to reduce stress

In Module 6, participants learn to describe what causes stress in their work lives; define the many impacts of stress; outline strategies for handling and reducing stress; and explain the safe and healthy boundaries needed between homecare workers and their clients.

Module 7: Tips for safely handling threatening behavior when providing homecare

In Module 7, participants learn to describe the types of threatening behavior homecare workers may face when working in homes; identify factors that can heighten the risk that threatening behaviors may occur; explain how to manage their own emotions and reactions when threatened; and outline effective strategies to reduce risks and handle threatening situations safely.