17
Clients with Disabilities
1. Identify common causes of disabilities
Define the following term:
disability
the impairment of a physical or mental function.
17
Clients with Disabilities
1. Identify common causes of disabilities
Know these common causes of disabilities:
• Diseases and disorders
• Accidents
• Birth defects
17
Clients with Disabilities
1. Identify common causes of disabilities
These factors may affect how well a person copes with a
disability:
• General ability to cope with stress
• Specific disability
• Available support
• Other difficulties
17
Clients with Disabilities
1. Identify common causes of disabilities
Understand the emotions associated with caring for disabled
family members such as the following:
• Stress
• Resentment
• Disappointment
• Guilt
• Shame
• Anger
• Frustration
• Loss of time, energy, patience, and money
17
Clients with Disabilities
1. Identify common causes of disabilities
Think about this question:
How can a person with a disability sometimes feel resentment
about being dependent, yet also fear the effort required to
become independent?
17
Clients with Disabilities
1. Identify common causes of disabilities
Think about this question:
With regard to disabilities caused by complications of pregnancy
or childbirth, what psychological and emotional challenges might
the parents face?
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Clients with Disabilities
2. Describe daily challenges a person with a disability may face
Understand these challenges for a person with a disability:
• Getting out of bed
• Preparing or eating meals
• Washing, dressing, or grooming him- or herself
• Getting to the bathroom
• Communicating with family, friends, or caregivers
• Meeting basic human needs for acceptance, belonging and
community
• Getting from one place to another
• Finding or functioning in a job
• Making ends meet financially
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Clients with Disabilities
3. Define terms related to disabilities and explain why they are
important
Think about the different terms used to describe disabilities and
people with disabilities. Which are most appropriate? Which are
insensitive?
• Cripple
• Hearing challenged/hearing impaired
• Physically challenged, etc.
17
Clients with Disabilities
3. Define terms related to disabilities and explain why they are
important
Think about this question:
What other negative terms have you heard that refer to being
disabled?
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Clients with Disabilities
4. Identify social and emotional needs of persons with disabilities
Understand these terms as they relate to people with disabilities:
• Independence
• Acceptance
• Dignity
• Social interaction
• Sense of worth
17
Clients with Disabilities
4. Identify social and emotional needs of persons with disabilities
Think about these questions:
What might make clients with disabilities feel humiliated? What
might make clients with disabilities feel respected for being the
people they are?
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Clients with Disabilities
5. Explain how a disability may affect sexuality and intimacy
Understand how disabilities affect the human need for sexuality
and intimacy:
• Clients may be sensitive about how an illness or injury has
affected their sexuality.
• Remember that sexual desire may not be lessened by a
disability, although the ability to meet sexual needs may be
limited.
• Do not assume you know what impact a physical disability has
had on sexuality.
• Be sensitive to privacy needs.
• Do not judge or make comments about any sexual behavior
you see.
17
Clients with Disabilities
5. Explain how a disability may affect sexuality and intimacy
REMEMBER:
You should never make assumptions or judgments about
sexuality or sexual behavior.
17
Clients with Disabilities
6. Identify skills you have already learned that can be applied to
clients with disabilities
Understand how the following basic skills apply to working with
clients with disabilities:
• Communication
• Safety and body mechanics
• Safe and comfortable transfers, ambulation, and body
positioning
• Assisting with ADLs
• Taking vital signs and specimens
• Skin care
• Housekeeping and meal preparation
17
Clients with Disabilities
7. List five goals to work toward when assisting clients who have
disabilities
REMEMBER:
A positive working relationship with a disabled client will help the
aide and client work together toward the client’s goals.
17 Clients with Disabilities
Transparency 17-1: Goals for Assisting the Disabled
•
•
•
•
•
Promote self-care and independence.
Assure the client’s safety.
Promote the client’s health and comfort.
Maintain the client’s dignity and self-worth.
Maintain the stability of the client’s household.
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Clients with Disabilities
7. List five goals to work toward when assisting clients who have
disabilities
Think about this question:
How do you gain the trust of the client and the family? How do
you motivate clients when they are discouraged?
17
Clients with Disabilities
8. Identify five qualities of excellent service needed by clients
with disabilities
Know the qualities that people with disabilities need in their
caregivers:
• Punctuality
• Reliability
• Responsiveness to needs
• Continuity
• Positive attitude
17
Clients with Disabilities
8. Identify five qualities of excellent service needed by clients
with disabilities
Think about this question:
What do each of the qualities on the previous slide mean to you?
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Clients with Disabilities
9. Explain how to adapt personal care procedures to meet the
needs of clients with disabilities
Know the common diseases and disorders discussed in the
textbook and understand the role of the HHA in each of the
following disabilities:
• Developmental disabilities, including being a role model for
the family
• Intellectual disability, including meeting emotional and
physical needs
• Down syndrome, including praising and encouraging
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Clients with Disabilities
9. Explain how to adapt personal care procedures to meet the
needs of clients with disabilities
Understand the role of the HHA in each of the following
disabilities (cont’d):
• Cerebral palsy, including physical and mental disabilities
• Spina bifida, including bladder care and family support and
acceptance
• Autism, including keeping a routine and having tailored
treatment and familiar caregivers
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Clients with Disabilities
9. Explain how to adapt personal care procedures to meet the
needs of clients with disabilities
REMEMBER:
There are many services available to help people who have
developmental disabilities. Home- and community-based waivers
may be available to pay for certain services for people who are
chronically ill or disabled. Your state’s department of health
should have more information.
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Clients with Disabilities
9. Explain how to adapt personal care procedures to meet the
needs of clients with disabilities
Some additional resources include the following:
• American Association on Intellectual and Developmental
Disabilities (AAIDD), aamr.org, (800) 424-3688
• Autism Science Foundation, autismsciencefoundation.org,
• (646) 723-3977
• National Down Syndrome Congress, ndsccenter.org,
• (800) 232-6372
• Special Olympics, specialolympics.org, (800) 700-8585
• Spina Bifida Association, spinabifidaassociation.org,
• (800) 621-3141
• United Cerebral Palsy, ucp.org, (800) 872-5827
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Clients with Disabilities
9. Explain how to adapt personal care procedures to meet the
needs of clients with disabilities
Think about these questions:
Can you think of other resources in addition to the ones listed on
the previous slide? Do you have any loved ones who have
developmental disabilities?
17
Clients with Disabilities
10. List important changes to report and document about a client
with disabilities
Report any of the following if you encounter it in a client with a
disability:
• Inability to perform a task previously able to do
• Skin problems or changes
• Emotional changes (depression, moodiness, weight loss or
gain, fatigue, or withdrawal)
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Clients with Disabilities
Exam
Multiple Choice. Choose the correct answer.
1. People with physical disabilities have the same social and emotional needs
that all humans have. These basic psychosocial needs include which of the
following?
(A) The need to be free from pain
(B) The need for fluids
(C) The need to have enough sleep
(D) The need to have a sense of worth
2.
Which of the following statements is true of how disability affects sexuality?
(A) Clients in wheelchairs cannot have sexual relationships.
(B) Clients with disabilities may still have sexual needs.
(C) Privacy is unimportant for clients with disabilities.
(D) Clients with disabilities will have no interest in sex.
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Clients with Disabilities
Exam (cont’d)
3.
Which of the following are goals for HHAs who are working with clients who
have disabilities?
(A) HHAs should do as much as possible for clients.
(B) HHAs should promote dignity and safety.
(C) HHAs should make changes in medication schedules as needed.
(D) HHAs should become the head of the household until clients are
capable enough to resume their duties.
4.
Which of the following are qualities that clients with disabilities value in
HHAs?
(A) Self-confidence, self-reliance, and self-worth
(B) Being extroverted, intelligent, and charming
(C) Physical strength, emotional stamina, and social poise
(D) Punctuality, reliability, and a positive attitude
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Clients with Disabilities
Exam (cont’d)
5.
To help maintain a client’s dignity and self-worth, an HHA should
(A) Keep the client’s information confidential
(B) Make choices when possible for the client
(C) Treat the client as a child
(D) Know that the client will not be sensitive about his disability
6.
Which of the following is true of developmental disabilities?
(A) Developmental disabilities are temporary.
(B) Developmental disabilities restrict physical and/or mental ability.
(C) Developmental disabilities are a form of mental illness.
(D) People with developmental disabilities can never live or work
independently.
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Clients with Disabilities
Exam (cont’d)
7.
The
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
most common developmental disability is
Parkinson’s disease
Intellectual disability
Muscular dystrophy
Cerebral palsy
8.
A condition in which the person has suffered brain damage either while in
the uterus or during birth and which causes problems with muscle
coordination, gait, and speech is
(A) Cerebral palsy
(B) Spina bifida
(C) Down syndrome
(D) Autism
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Clients with Disabilities
Exam (cont’d)
9.
_________________ occurs when part of the backbone is not well
developed at birth.
(A) Cerebral palsy
(B) Spina bifida
(C) Down syndrome
(D) Autism
10. Care of clients who are intellectually disabled includes which of the following
goals?
(A) Helping clients to recover from their disability
(B) Making tasks as complicated as possible to promote cognitive skills
(C) Discouraging social interaction so clients won’t be embarrassed
(D) Promoting clients’ independence
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Clients with Disabilities
Exam (cont’d)
11. A person with this developmental disability usually has a small skull, a
flattened nose, and short fingers, in addition to intellectual impairment.
(A) Cerebral palsy
(B) Spina bifida
(C) Down syndrome
(D) Autism
12. Which of the following is helpful when caring for a person who has an
intellectual disability?
(A) Promote independence and encourage social interaction.
(B) Try to do everything for the person whenever possible.
(C) Do not repeat words more than once.
(D) Discourage teaching ADLs, as the person will not be able to understand
them.
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Clients with Disabilities
Exam (cont’d)
13. How can an HHA help teach ADLs to clients with intellectual disabilities?
(A) It is not possible for clients to perform ADLs on their own.
(B) By breaking tasks into smaller steps
(C) By writing the steps down on a piece of paper that clients can keep
(D) By doing everything for clients
14. A pervasive developmental disability that begins before age 3, continues
through the person’s lifetime, and creates problems with communication
and social skills is
(A) Cerebral palsy
(B) Spina bifida
(C) Down syndrome
(D) Autism
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Clients with Disabilities
Exam (cont’d)
15. Which of the following statements is true of autism?
(A) Surgery is the first course of treatment for autism.
(B) When it is detected early, the chances of curing it are greater.
(C) Children normally outgrow it.
(D) Boys are more often affected than girls.
16. Which of the following is a sign or symptom of autism?
(A) A part of the backbone may bulge out of the person’s back.
(B) The person has poor balance or posture and difficulty using the arms
and hands.
(C) The person has repetitive body movements and lacks the ability to
empathize with others.
(D) The person’s hand muscles are impaired, and the legs are weak or stiff.
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Clients with Disabilities
Exam (cont’d)
17. Which of the following is a guideline to use when communicating with
clients who have cerebral palsy?
(A) Avoid using touch as a form of communication.
(B) Allow the client to move slowly.
(C) If the client cannot speak, avoid talking to him.
(D) Encourage the client to be as dependent as possible to conserve
energy.