This Care of the Older Person course is designed to equip learners with the knowledge and skills to provide care for older people in a variety of settings.
Learners who successfully complete this course will be able to demonstrate good work practices in the provision of individualised holistic care for older people and understand fully the concept of the ageing process.
They will also be able to meet the needs of older people in a variety of care settings and enhance the quality of life of the older person, and themselves as carers.
Pre-requisites
This course is for anyone with an interest in the area and/or those who wish to work with/care for an older person.
- Carers working with older people
- Those who are planning a career in a health or social care environment and related areas and who require a practical skills-based course and a formal qualification.
- Family members caring for elderly relatives in their own home.
Course Aim
The Aim of the Care Of The Older Person Course is to :
- equip learners with the knowledge and skills to be able to provide care for older people in a variety of settings.
The modules covered in Care Of the Older Person are as follows
- The Ageing Process
- Working with the Older Person
- Caring for the Older Person with Specific needs
- Care Settings
Specific Learning Outcomes
After successfully completing this course you will be able to:
- Demonstrate good work practices in the provision of individualized holistic care for older people
- Understand the concept of the ageing process
- Be able to meet the full range of needs of older people in a variety of care settings
- Enhance the quality of life of the older person
- Define healthy ageing
- Demonstrate an awareness of global and national demographic trends
- Understand the normal physiological process if ageing
- Understand the normal psychological process of ageing
- Understand the social impact of ageing on older people
- Discuss differing attitudes to ageing and older people
- Understand own role in promoting positive attitudes to ageing
- Understand the role of statutory and voluntary agencies in promoting the well being of older people
- Demonstrate an appreciation of the ethnic and cultural influences on the older person
Outline the range of needs of older people under the following headings
- Physical
- Social
- Emotional
- Psychological
- Recreational
- Financial
- Environmental
- Spiritual
- Summarise the role of the health care assistant in providing care for older people
- Communicate effectively with the older person, his/her family and the multidisciplinary team
Promote the following in caring for the older person
- Empowerment
- Advocacy
- Independence
- Individualised care
- Dignity
- Respect
- Choice
- Self esteem
- Include family/carers as partners in care
- Reflect on the strategies to improve personal effectiveness in the workplace
- Assist in the identification of how health promotion issues can be promoted in care settings for older people
- Assist in the provision of therapeutic interventions that will enhance the social interactions and quality of life of the older person
- Identify and adapt care and practices to meet the needs of older people with particular individual needs
- Describe the issues related to an older person with mental illness
- Describe the issues related to an older person with dementia
- Recognize a condition in an older person that requires immediate attention
- Describe the impact of living with chronic illness
- Recognise the individual needs of the dying older person and their families
- Identify the care settings for older people
- Identify members of the healthcare team available in each care setting
Identify a range of specific services that are available for older people in the following
- Education
- Life long learning
- Retirement/the workplace
- Leisure
Assessment
A combination of module appropriate assessment procedures will facilitate the assessment of learning outcomes of the Care Of The Older Person course. These methods will include a combination of continuous assessment processes such as assignments, collection of work, learner records, projects and skills demonstrations.
Awards
- Component Certificate in Care of the Older Person FETAC Certificate at Level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications
- On completion of this module, the learner will have achieved one of eight modules which leads to a Certificate in Healthcare Support FETAC LEVEL 5 Major Award
Career Opportunities
Students who successfully complete this Care of The Older Person Course will have many professional and academic opportunities available to them. Students can go on to complete another 7 modules to complete their full FETAC Level 5 Major Award in Healthcare Support. Professional routes include working in General Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Home Help Support Staff.