As an aged care worker or client, it is important to understand and recognise the signs of deterioration in physical and mental health. This ensures that better care can be provided. This article will provide an overview on how to recognise the signs, and how to manage deterioration in health.
What is Deterioration?
When a decline in someone's physical or mental health occurs, it is called deterioration. There are specific signs that someone may display which can help you identify if a person's condition is worsening.
They can be:
- Loss of appetite.
- Reduced intake of food and drink.
- Pass in and out of consciousness.
- Experience increased periods of sleep and require rests more often.
- Decreased movement.
- Become bed bound.
- Experience difficulty swallowing or breathing.
- Become increasingly disorientated.
What do I Need to Do?
As a carer, friend, or family member to a client of Trilogy Care it is important and necessary to report to us if you notice any of the following:
- Decrease in activity levels.
- The client has higher care needs than normal, and their health deteriorates quickly.
- Weight loss/The client is not putting on weight.
- An emergency transfer to hospital occurs.
- The client's family or partner require increased support and assistance in caring for them.
- The client's experience's a decline in their health and there is no improvement, or it worsens.
- You are unable to wake them.
- The client is disorientated in a manner that is unusual to them.
Care workers are often the first to recognise changes in their clients because of their exposure to them. There are many chronic conditions that people live with every day, however, are not necessarily life threatening (Like Dementia and Diabetes). For clients with these conditions, the end-of-life phase can last months or even years. It is especially important to escalate any concerns to your senior staff and Trilogy Care.
How do I Report to Trilogy Care?
Reporting a change in condition, an incident or accident is critical in ensuring Trilogy Care can continue to safely support a client's care needs and manage their home care package effectively. An incident or accident may relate to an event that has occurred whilst receiving services or not.
Visit our website and press on the 'Incidents' tab at the top of the page. This will take you to our incident reporting form. From here fill out the form, and the Care Management Team will contact the client and their representative (if applicable) to discuss the matter and determine the most appropriate course of action.
What do we do with this information?
With this information, here is what can be done to assist your client or family member:
- Discuss the situation with the client (where possible) and their family.
- Perform a Care Review to determine any changed or new care needs.
- Manage their symptoms and create or amend their Pain Management Plan.
- Provide advice and support to the client and their family.
- Refer the client and their family to the appropriate support services.
- Discuss the clients wishes regarding their care and treatment to ensure their wishes are met.
Stay up-to-date on all news regarding Home Care Packages with Trilogy Care's Facebook. Trilogy Care provide a variety of resources to assist you with your Home Care Package needs, and continue living healthy, supported, and independent lives. To find out more visit our website or email: info@trilogycare.com.au.
