The home care industry requires caring, helpful, and compassionate professionals with the specialized skills to assist the elderly, chronically ill, and disabled. If you’re considering a home care career, supportive care skills ensure that clients experiencing the adverse effects of illness receive assistance that improves their quality of life. Keep reading to discover the inner workings of supportive care, its principles, and how it will benefit your clients as a health care assistant.
What Is Supportive Care?
Supportive care is specialized medical care that focuses on alleviating symptoms, pain, and psychological stress associated with severe illness. Though it is commonly associated with cancer patients, the management of their treatments, and their post-treatment recovery, supportive care can be used to improve the lives of any home care client who lives with an illness or disability. Medical treatments that are designed to fight severe or aggressive health struggles can have adverse effects on the body and psyche, causing patients to need support as they strive to lead their lives in comfort and with dignity. What are the principles of supportive care?
The Principles of Supportive Care
When you take on the role of a health care assistant (HCA), the principles of supportive care will play a crucial role in your work with particular clients. The principles of supportive care also differ across medical specializations, with different principles depending on clients’ specific needs. The following principles apply to supportive care in any capacity.
- Supportive care is meant to maintain or improve a patient’s quality of life and ensure they are reaping the full benefits of their treatment.
- Supportive care can be applied through the continuum of a patient’s experience with a severe illness from diagnosis to post-treatment recovery
- Supportive care takes a coordinated, person-centered, and holistic approach
How You’ll Use the Principles of Supportive Care After Health Care Assistant Training
Once you become an HCA, supportive care will significantly affect your daily duties. How so? Well, many of your clients will struggle with serious illnesses or disabilities – many of which are long-term. Supportive care aims not to treat the underlying condition but rather the effects of an illness and its treatment. For this reason, many supportive care measures can be taken in the home rather than in a medical clinic under the direct supervision of a doctor.
As the professional designated to providing daily assistance to home-based clients, you can provide effective supportive care by:
- Ensuring that the meals you prepare will help to optimize your client’s treatment
- Providing emotional support as your client deals with their illness
- Administer doctor-approved medication for the management of symptoms
- Assist patients with hygiene and daily tasks to improve their quality of life and sense of dignity
- Use adaptive equipment to facilitate care
- Follow personal care plans created by medical professionals
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