Medication Management as a Care Worker

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Following Medication policies and guidelines is not just about the primary purpose of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our clients; it also protects you, providing clear rules to ensure that you are never in doubt about dispensing, storing, recording or disposing of client medication. As a careworker, you should only ever administer medicines that you have been trained to give, and this will likely include assisting your clients to take tablets or oral mixtures, apply creams, ointments or drops, or to administer inhaled medications.

Our mandatory training at Social Care Alba (SCA) provides you with all you need to handle this crucial element of your role, and support is always on hand, where needed, if you are ever in doubt.

Keeping our clients safe

Elderly people – particularly those with dementia-related diseases, may often forget to take medication or be at risk of ‘doubling up’, having forgotten that they have already done so. And in fact, medication can be incredibly confusing for anyone who has been prescribed numerous drug therapies for multiple health issues, with some to be taken before or after food, in the morning, or at night. This is why your role is critical to reducing risk of error – not only through due diligence of our processes, but also by being mindful of clients’ capacity to take their own medication, as a delay or error in self-administering medication could severely impact their health and wellbeing. Our clients and their families should always feel assured that SCA staff are meticulous in their management of medication, and we encourage our staff to communicate changes or concerns, as appropriate.

Dispensing medication

There may, on occasion, be unforeseen problems which arise as a result of medications being missed, for example, when a client is refusing their medication, is sick, or is taken to hospital for emergency treatment.  Any and all issues around dispensing medication should be raised according to our Medication Policy with appropriate health professionals or supervisors timeously. This is a key part of our risk management, and helps to keep our clients safe from unnecessary worry, discomfort or health complications. 

Recording-keeping/medication admin

All medications administered MUST be recorded at the time they are given. Where drugs have not been signed-off as being administered, but the NOMAD pack (if they have one) shows the medication missing, it MUST be escalated immediately. Assumptions cannot be made at any point when it comes to administering treatments. When all staff adhere strictly to the policies provided by SCA, any errors in records can be picked up and addressed, protecting the client, the staff and the organisation. 

Storage of medication

Different types of medication require different types of safe storage. Some may need to be kept in low temperatures, in which case, a safe compartment in the fridge should be retained, if safe and appropriate to do so. Commonly, medications are dispensed by pharmacies in time-specific blister packs, ensuring the patient can take the right medicines at the right time. However, the way in which multiple medications are stored and dispensed will be agreed according to the needs and capacity of each client, and care workers should be careful to maintain consistency, and store medication as agreed.

Disposal of medication

Sometimes, a type of medication may be changed, with the remaining medication needing to be disposed of – usually by being returned to the original dispensing point. Instructions on medication disposal should be followed at all times, and this also applies to biomedical waste such as dressings, sharps or other waste. Should you find that any medication or waste has not been disposed of properly, this must be brought to the attention of the appropriate member of staff as highlighted in our policy. We are all human and can make mistakes, but these are issues which can have devastating consequences if not addressed immediately.

Support is on hand!

We want you to be able to feel confident in managing medication; that’s why – in addition to our training and policies – we have an open door approach within our management team. Be assured that you can ask for guidance and support whenever needed; there is always someone on hand to speak to and discuss any concerns you may have.

For more information please log in to QCS and read: SCM03 – Overarching Medication Policy

Diary of a Careworker – Giving Hope

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When life gets tricky, it can be hard to imagine better times; even the best of us ‘tough cookies’ can soften if we’re treading in the mud for too long! Good health, a strong support network, and ongoing interests or responsibilities, like family or work, all help to motivate us to keep us pushing through hard times.

Inspiring action

But what if we don’t have these things in abundance? Isolation, poor health and scattered – or busy – families can often make it more difficult for older people to find the inner resilience to work through trying times.  And over the years, I’ve found that, as a care worker, fostering hope and inspiring action can be a critical part of what we do for those we care for, helping them to regain their confidence and belief that things can be better.

Instilling hope after illness

However, there’s more to it than simply assuring a client that ‘Things will be alright’ – as comforting as that can be. We need to find what inspires a person to be an active part of the solution. This is one of the key principles of intrinsic motivation.

One of my clients, Joe, a relatively young man in his sixties, had, after a second stroke, become less and less independent in his home. The problem was not that he couldn’t do things – he had simply resigned himself to the fact that there was nothing he could do about his paralysis, and quickly stopped trying.

Learned helplessness

Seligman talks of ‘learned helplessness’ – a state of believing that you can’t escape a negative event, and therefore accepting all that happens, without fighting to overcome or avoid it. Despite very real physical barriers that can be there, a lot of it is to do with the mindset that we adopt. The good news is, a mindset can be altered – to varying degrees of course – but with a little support, we can work towards overcoming that overbearing feeling that a situation is ‘hope-less’.

And hope is the key word here. There is always hope, and it is the catalyst to greater things. We just need to help those we support, find it.

Hope as an anchor

To believe that a situation is not as dark as it appears, we need to attach our negative feelings to something tangible that is positive – like anchoring a boat to a pier in a storm. For Joe, he saw this second stroke as an isolated and unsurmountable event.

But this was his second stroke. It was not isolated – and neither was it completely unsurmountable. However, time was of the essence, so I took some time over the next few visits to really get to grips with how Joe was feeling.

Finding the right motivators

Joe recalled that he had had his first stroke at a young age, and the devastating blow to his health had left him feeling very similar to how he felt now. A keen gardener, his frustration was deepened by losing the ability to spend time doing what he loved best. Quickly, his friends clubbed together to buy and install a raised bed for his garden, and a mixture of vegetable seeds to get started. However, the condition was that they would have a barbecue by late Summer, with his homegrown vegetables as part of the spread. 

This combination of instilled hope, genuine care – and a goal with which Joe could challenge himself, had been just enough to take him out of his state of learned helplessness, and to set to work. I thought I spotted a glimmer of recognition of the similarity between that and his current situation, as he talked about the resulting barbecue – with fresh tomatoes, potatoes and onions on offer – all grown by his own hand. I asked if he might consider doing something similar this year, with a few of the same friends; unsure, he replied he would consider it. 

Recognising limited beliefs

Hope is the catalyst for turning a negative situation around, but it needs action to make those changes happen. First we need to recognise that part of the problem is to do with our limiting beliefs. Knowing that things are not as hopeless as we believe them to be, helps us to get to the next step. And the next step is a goal, a challenge that will take us out of our ‘comfort zone’ and force us to recognise that do have an element of control over our lives after all.

Changing how we talk to ourselves

Everything that we achieve in spite of our situation is something to be proud of. However, when learned helplessness has gone on for some time, we can often keep reverting to the negative self-talk that we’ve become accustomed to; even when we do achieve, our negativity can chime in with comments like ‘It’s just a one-off’, ‘Probably won’t manage that again’ – cancelling out the success we should be acknowledging. By helping clients to become aware of this unhelpful thought process, we can encourage them to replace it with positive self-talk, like ‘Not bad! I’ll do that again later’.  But it’s also important to remember – and be reminded – of these wins. 

Recording the wins

I asked Joe to help me to keep track of his progress, by jotting down a quick note of things he managed to do that he had not thought possible. In actual fact, it was to serve as a journal, so that he would see, each day, a growing list of accomplishments to inspire him to keep going. 

The plan worked. The list grew longer, and broader, until one day, I came in, and he wasn’t there. 

Scribbled on his notebook, were the words ‘IN GARDEN’. And there he was, at his raised bed, trowel in hand, potting tomato seedlings once again.

For Joe, having combatted those feelings of helplessness with his achievements after the first stroke helped him to regain his independence and freedom. That said, every person is different, and situations vary in how much can be done. But the important thing to remember, I feel, is that there is always something that can be done to make things a little better. 

And that’s where we can make a real difference. 

Infection Control: Social Care Alba

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It will be no surprise that infection control policies have undergone several changes over the last few years, as our understanding of Covid has progressed. In care-at-home situations, where staff members – and others – are regularly entering clients homes, it is critical that infection control policies are strictly adhered to by staff at all times to reduce the risk of infection.

However, whilst Covid has been an ongoing threat for us all, the general risk of infection from other sources is a huge concern for our clients, particularly as risk of serious illness increases greatly as we age.

Age and Infection Risk

Older adults are more vulnerable to infection, as the immune system weakens over time, and our responses to combat illness become less effective. For example, those with compromised kidney function will be more susceptible to urinary tract infections, or those with poor nutrition or problems with absorbing nutrients in the body, will have less resources to fight off an infection when it occurs. Staff are expected to be particularly vigilant of increased risk areas specific to their clients, and to report immediately, any incidences or situations which may put the client at greater risk of infection. 

Daily Diligence in Infection Control

Further, infection control does not begin and end at the home of a client – it is an ongoing diligence that we carry every moment of our working day. From regular hand washing, to covering small cuts with waterproof dressings, and sneezing or coughing responsibly – every contact with clients, their homes, and locations in between should be made with diligence towards avoiding and reducing infection. 

Families and Visitors

It can be hard for families to be mindful of infection control – especially when they are worried for a loved one during illness or after injury. However, to further reduce risk of infection, it is important to ensure that clients’ families and friends are also aware of their role in keeping their loved ones safe. Care staff should be mindful that visitors may have limited knowledge around infection control and help them to understand the risks involved, ensuring that they have the appropriate information in a way that can be easily understood.

Daily Diligence in Infection Control

Diseases and organisms can easily spread from person to person, and include stomach bugs and vomiting bugs, through to more dangerous infections such as influenza, MRSA, e-coli and C.difficile, and of course, Covid. In the event that a staff member becomes infected, they must immediately inform their superior and remove themselves from the workplace, returning to work only when cleared by their GP.

Close contact and indirect contact through meal preparation are part of a Personal Assistant’s every dale role, and staff must ensure that they are meticulous in their hygiene practices, in accordance with SCA policies. This includes wearing gloves where required, cleaning surfaces fully with antibacterial fluids, and preparing and storing foodstuffs appropriately. 

Waste Disposal

Clients can often toilet, prepare food and dispose of waste themselves. However, a decline in mental acuity or mobility can often affect the degree to which this is done safely. Therefore, SCA staff are required to follow precautions set out in our policies to keep their clients environment clean and safe.  Set out in our Infection Control policy are strict processes when dealing with waste disposal, which can include soiled laundry, sharps, biological and biomedical waste, as well as food and other perishable products. 

These are just a few of the issues covered in our SCA Infection Control policy. We encourage our staff to read our policies regularly to maintain the highest infection control standards, and to ensure our clients and staff are protected from the spread of infection. Let’s keep our clients safe and healthy!

For more information please log in to QCS and read: SCR04 – Adult support & Protection

Adult Support and Protection: Social Care Alba

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As a care-at-home provider, Social Care Alba (SCA) has a duty of care towards those we support. This means that everything we do must be in the best interests of our clients across all aspects of their health, safety and wellbeing, and every staff member must follow the rules and regulations set to this aim. However, to ensure that clients’ needs are fully met, care providers are also scrutinised externally.

Through the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007, councils and public bodies can better ensure that vulnerable people can enjoy their right to be safe and protected. On a practical level, the Act gives these bodies the right to check that those responsible for the safety and wellbeing of someone affected by disability, illness, mental health issues, or physical or mental disability, are carrying out their duties effectively.

Knowing when to raise concerns

Whilst clients will often have support plans to cater to their specific needs, there will be times when that support falls short, or is no longer appropriate for that person. This is where good connections between bodies, health professionals and care services come into play. Care-at-home agencies have the privilege of getting to know their clients – often well enough to know when particular types of support need to be reviewed. For example, care staff may notice quickly when a client’s mood has dipped, or when a particular activity might no longer be considered safe due to decreased mobility. At SCA, our staff are encouraged to flag up any issues with a senior member of staff, to ensure that the care we give is always aligned with the needs of the client and their health care plans.

Being vigilant of psychological harm

Alongside the risk of physical harm from the every day environment, such as falling or tripping, clients may experience other types of harm. Abuse, neglect, bullying – these are just some of the issues that care staff can be witness to, or suspect. Again, the duty of care that staff have towards those they support, requires them to raise any concerns appropriately. It could be a neighbour, other professionals, or even a relative who may appear not be acting in the person’s best interest, and this can be difficult for staff to flag up. However, the policies and procedures that we hold at SCA help to protect clients by educating staff around their responsibilities, and providing the correct procedures to raise concerns when they have them.

Six Principles of Safeguarding

Adult support and protection policies are based on the six principles of safeguarding, which, together, seek to provide a 360º level of care for those protected under the Act.

These principles are:

  • Empowerment. Ensuring that clients are supported to make their own decisions
  • Prevention. Taking action before harm occurs
  • Proportionality. Responding in a way that is appropriate to the risk raised
  • Protection. Safeguarding the person from harm and knowing when to act on a potential risk to the client 
  • Partnership. Ensuring a good flow of communication across teams, management and external bodies
  • Accountability. Providing appropriate care, acting on concerns, and reporting them according to internal policies.

It can sometimes be difficult for those we support to know, or to voice when they feel they are at risk, and this is why care staff – who often see clients the most – are commonly the first to be aware of when things don’t seem to be ‘quite right’. Being accountable means that they have a responsibility to act on their concerns, following the policies and procedures put in place for such situations.

At SCA, we ensure that everyone in our care has their needs met as far as possible, and that their safety and wellbeing are always our first priority. In addition to the training provided, we encourage staff to discuss any concerns appropriately to keep our clients safe and well. This is our commitment to those we support, and to our person responsibility towards the valuable role that we hold as carers.

For more information please log in to QCS and read: SCR04 – Adult support & Protection

What’s it Like to Work with SCA?

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We are always looking for new staff! So, if you’re wondering what it’s like to work with us, here is an overview to help you decide if it might just be time to apply … 

Starting with Us …

From the moment you join us at SCA, you’ll be supported to get to grips with your new role. We run a tight ship to ensure the safety of staff and clients alike, but we’ll show you the ropes, and help you to pick everything up quickly. On your first day, you’ll be shown around and introduced to staff, with a brief overview of their roles, and our expectations of your role.

Consistency of Care

We work in a specific part of Edinburgh, (No running around the city) and try, where possible, to keep staff with the same clients to help build mutually trusting and consistent relationships. As we get to know you, we will do our best to match you with clients and responsibilities that align with your skills, experience and individual talents. 

Staff Routines

Buddying System

Everyone who starts with us, is paired with a buddy to help you navigate your new role. Your buddy is there to shadow, to answer questions, and to give advice when needed, so you’ll soon get used to the way we do things. 

Typical Duties

Your duties can be very varied, depending on your level of experience, and the immediate needs of clients at that time, but will likely include: personal care; preparing meals; administering medications; shopping and other domestic duties; transporting and accompanying clients to appointments or outings, and monitoring the health and wellbeing of your clients, reporting any concerns to the manager. 

Career Opportunities

You will be expected to complete a probationary period, during which time, we will work through any opportunities for improvement.  At the end of this period, you will be a fully-fledged member of our SCA team, and will be encouraged to consider your career path as you work ‘up the ranks’ with us – if that’s what you wish to do. 

Perks

We offer a welcome bonus for new recruits, referral bonuses, and provide travel expenses, as well offering great training opportunities. Most importantly, however, we offer a friendly and supportive team environment in which you can thrive as a care-at-home professional.  From buffet lunches on a Friday, to healthy fruit and drinks during the week.  We are always trying to make life more enjoyable.  Right now staff have been given £50 each to treat themselves to something to improve their wellbeing.

EU Sponsorship Programme

Further, if you are an EU citizen, we offer Sponsorship for the right candidates, and welcome applications ongoing from those with existing experience in health or social care. Job roles include: Personal Assistant; Senior Personal Assistant, and Team Leader, as well as administrative positions.

Training

Alongside our excellent mandatory training, we offer a wealth of learning opportunities for our staff, from short courses to MSc, provided by a variety of educational institutes. It’s important to us that our staff feel fulfilled and challenged in their careers, so we do our best to help those who have chosen to work and study at the same time with time for essay preparation and ongoing support.

Testimonials

Of course, the best way to let you know about what it’s like to work here (besides working here!) is to hear it from the staff. Here are just a few of the testimonials we have received from team members:

“It’s like working for your family. Everyone cares & supports each other. SCA has a very flat management structure. Directors are very approachable, always happy to help & address any issues staff may have.”

“I really enjoy my job and I have the best things to say about my experience so far. I have learned new skills and I am happy, because the environment is very supportive. If someone wants to start a career in social care, I would definitely recommend they join our team.”

“There are times when you think getting up for work is the last thing you want to do – not at Social Care Alba. I work with some wonderful service users and colleagues who really know how to enjoy life.”

Values

We know that a happy healthy working environment helps our staff give their best to our clients, so we strive to ensure that our workplace, processes and team align with our values on inclusion, diversity and mutual respect. 

We have a zero-tolerance policy, and an open-door management approach, so there is always someone to speak to if you have any issues.  Our staff are from all over the world, which makes for a really rich team culture, underpinned by an inclusive approach from management and staff alike.

Like what you’ve read? Join us!

If you feel that your values align with ours, head over to our careers page 🔗, where you can find out more information about our current vacancies. The application process is fast and simple, and we will be in touch to further your application if successful. Good luck – and we hope to see you soon on our team!

Laughter is the Best Medicine …

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There’s nothing quite like a really good belly laugh that makes your eyes water, to lift the spirits! But laughter has a whole lot more going on, as it’s good for our bodies as well as our minds.  For example, did you know that it releases super-helpful endorphins into our brains, and also helps to boost our immune systems? And that’s not all …

A Giggle a Day keeps the Doctor away …

Studies have found that people with a strong sense of humour are less prone to becoming anxious or depressed, and letting rip at something hilarious is actually similar to a mini-workout,  improving circulation and reducing blood pressure – all the more reason to tickle that funny bone!

Particularly important for older people, the release of ‘happy hormones’ when you laugh can also help to reduce the severity of pain and discomfort. In the book “Anatomy of an Illness 🔗,” Norman Cousins, then, terminally ill wrote about how he used laughter to help with his deteriorating condition. Since his book, published in 1975, many movements and practices have emerged, including ‘humour therapy’ (think ‘Patch Adams’) and laughter yoga, both of which use the act of laughing to promote wellbeing. 

A Remedy best enjoyed with Others

However, before you look out a favourite funny movie (you’ll find a few gems in our Films for Carers’ blog 🔗), there is another important ingredient: laughter is best enjoyed in company, as it is largely a ‘social construct’ – something that we do most when we are with others. If you think of the last time you were clutching your belly with laughter, you will probably remember you were not alone. Psychologically, it’s a unique behaviour that only humans and chimps express, which is thought to help us bond with others. In fact, there are many studies 🔗 which support the theory that in most older people, psychological factors, such as depression and anxiety are more about a lack of social engagement, than impairment of physical function – something that the medical model of disability tends to overlook …

Laugh often; Live Well …

This is just one of the many reasons why good company is so important in later life, and it’s also why, as a carer, it’s so important to encourage those you support to meet with friends, and have the odd giggle. Not only does it help to tackle low mood, but also provides an incentive to do it all over again. That is the magic of endorphins – they give us a hormonal ‘high’ that you just want more of:) 

And, as a carer, that ‘feel good factor’ is exactly what we want for our clients!

SCA Film List for Carers

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Caring comes in many guises, so we thought it might be fun to explore some caring themes with our SCA Film List for Carers! Whether you like a good cry, a bit of belly laugh, or simply want to shout ‘That’s not how it’s done!’ at the TV, here’s our mid-week viewing list for a cosy night in. So get the popcorn out and get comfy!

Weepies

Amour
French film which follows an older couple as they deal with the difficulties of living and caring after a stroke. Get your hankies out!

Still Alice
A touching film about the impact of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, as we see the cognitive decline in Alice (Julianne Moore), a 50-something mother of 3, and how it changes their lives. Great film. If you have some tissues left from the first film, you’ll need them:)

Beginners (2010)
This movie is a father-son story about an elderly man, who is diagnosed with terminal cancer. His son (Ewan McGregor) finds himself supporting his father even though they had not been close in the past. The movie shows the difficulties in caring for an elderly parent when the relationship is strained. Great acting from our very own Ewan:)

Wacky Films

The Intouchables
French buddy comedy-drama film. After he becomes a quadriplegic from a paragliding accident, an aristocrat hires a young man from the projects to be his caregiver. Funny and thought-provoking at the same time.

Silver Linings Playbook
Having spent eight months in psychiatric care for assaulting his wife’s lover, ex-teacher Pat (Bradley Cooper) is released into the care of his parents, where he meets someone he has a love/hate relationship with.

The Upside
Phillip is a wealthy quadriplegic who needs a caretaker to help him with his day-to-day routine in his New York penthouse. He decides to hire Dell, a struggling parolee who’s trying to reconnect with his ex and his young son. Despite coming from two different worlds, an unlikely friendship starts to blossom.

Elizabeth is Missing (2019)
A woman with Alzheimer’s (Glenda Jackson) grows suspicious when her best friend fails to turn up to meet her. Soon, the flashes of her sister, who disappeared 70 years ago, reel her into an unofficial investigation. 

The Fundamentals of Caring
This is a comedy drama with an equal number of touching moments. Having suffered a tragedy, Ben becomes a caregiver to earn money. His first client, Trevor, is a hilarious 18-year-old with muscular dystrophy. One paralysed emotionally, one paralysed physically, Ben and Trevor hit the road on a trip into the western states. The people they collect along the way help them test their skills for surviving outside their structured existence and lead to a deep and meaningful friendship.

Happy viewing!

Diary of a Careworker – Setting Boundaries

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We care. We want to make life a little brighter; a little easier for our clients, so we go the ‘extra mile’. But when is it a mile too far for us? Setting healthy boundaries is one of the most important lessons we can learn to prevent burnout and undue stress. 

‘A Mile too Far …’ 

I worked with a young man with lower-limb paralysis, and who had the most amazing positive approach to life. We got on well, and one day he asked me to be his ‘walk wingwoman’ for a fundraiser in support of a paraplegia charity. I felt, in all honesty, that this was perhaps beyond me, but I could see it was incredibly important to him; so I agreed. 

Soon after, we set about practising for the 8-mile walk, both taking turns to propel his chair. I found it hard. In fact, about halfway into our ‘training’, my knee began to ache. Carelessly, I ignored it, putting his excitement well before my slightly dicky knee.  

Some Sound Advice 

Perhaps predictably, about a week before the event, I woke up to find my knee swelled up like a bunch of misshapen grapes –  not pretty. I knew I was going to have to ‘bail out’. Feeling awful, I spoke to a colleague, who offered to take my place (she did these kind of things for fun:), but also gave me some sound advice, as an ‘over-giver’, which I share with new careworkers regularly. I’m paraphrasing, but here it is in a nutshell: 

  1. Healthy boundaries make better carers: Your health is at the heart of the good care you provide. Without it, nothing else works.
  1. Know why you’re over-giving:  Chronic over-givers may be doing so for different reasons: perhaps out of a need to be needed, or because we’re deflecting from our own worries by caring for others. We need to ensure that the ‘extra’ we’re doing is always coming from a healthy place.
  1. Selflessness is not in your job description! Ultimately, you are employed to support your client. Empathy and concern are a natural part of what you give as a careworker, but over-giving at the expense of your own wellbeing is not! 

I took up my colleague’s offer and her sound advice, realising that I should have declined at the outset; I needed to rethink my boundaries. My client was fine about it – he was just delighted that he would still have support on the day. 

… And he certainly did; with not one, but 3 ‘wingwomen’, all colleagues, walking along beside him and taking turns propelling his wheelchair to the finish line, where I was waiting with a high-five, a lumpy knee …and a lesson learned  

Healthy Boundaries make Better Carers

Yes, we want to do all that we can for those we support, but we do our best when we’re at our best. And keeping ourselves in check with clear healthy boundaries on what we can – and can’t do – helps us to continue doing just that. 

My colleague’s wise last words on the matter made me realise how little attention I had paid to my own wellbeing: “Caring is sharing”, she said, “but a sponsored walk with a gammy knee is just plain daft’.  Again, she was spot on. 

Plant Power! – Promoting Client Wellbeing with Indoor Gardening

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There’s something really satisfying about watching plants thrive – and spring is the perfect time for clients to get their hands dirty …with some home gardening! Even the least green-fingered among us gets a little joy from seeing new shoots unfurling, or a flower blooming. Furthermore, many elderly people will have had gardens in younger life, or don’t have the mobility to enjoy their existing gardens. Bringing some needy greenery to them can host a whole bunch of benefits; here are just a few … 

Home gardening improves flexibility and mobility  

Anything that encourages a person to move around is a good thing! And, for those who need to move around more, knowing that their plants ‘need them’ can be a powerful motivator to maintain their own wellbeing 🔗.  Home gardening can be a mini-workout for the whole body, too; pruning, weeding, and cutting can help to limber up stiff finger joints and unwilling wrists, and even turning plant pots around on a windowsill can help improve flexibility in the arm and stomach muscles. Every little helps!

Tending to plants promotes wellbeing

Studies show that indoor plants provide physical and mental health benefits, including lifting mood, reducing loneliness, lowering stress and anxiety, and increasing physical activity.  Also – particularly for those with dementia, there is a strong sensory element to gardening; tending to plants and flowers can trigger good memories, remembering the flowers, their smell, and fond thoughts of family and friends.

It can be the start of a new hobby! 

Even if your clients have not enjoyed gardening in the past, it’s a quiet, simple and satisfying activity which can be very moreish. Helping them to gain other interests and activities is important for mental and physical wellbeing, and this is particularly the case for those whose interests and hobbies have been limited by ill health or restricted mobility. Before long, one plant can become two; and a little know-how can instigate a whole range of activities, from cultivating new plants from seed, or propagating from cuttings.

The best plants are not necessarily ‘the best plants’:) 

We all love to ‘root’ for the underdog – and garden centres, as well as supermarkets, often reduce those poor little wilting plants that are left because they don’t ‘appeal’ to customers. But these are the ones you want! As well as being cheap – often reduced to pennies, plants that need some extra care and attention can really pull at the heartstrings (in a good way:) …

Alternatively, if you’re green-fingered yourself, you could bring some cuttings in from their garden, if they have one. That way, your clients can have a connection to their garden which is manageable for them.

So why not make an occasion of starting a new green-fingered hobby with your clients. Have a little joint mosey down at your local supermarket – and rescue a plant today!

How to motivate those you support

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Everything we do is motivated by something. Even things we don’t want to do are motivated by the consequences of not doing them. But motivation has many facets and can work in a variety of ways; understanding some of these can help you in your role as a care worker.

Intrinsic Motivation

When we do something because we like it in itself – such as eating chocolate because it tastes good – we need very little encouragement! The same applies to hobbies that we enjoy, and all the vices we wish we didn’t have 🙂

Extrinsic Motivation

More often in life, however, we do things to get other things. With children, we entice them to tidy their toys in exchange for a treat; as adults, we generally work to get paid. This does something very important to the activity; it makes what we are doing a ‘means to an end’. And with that, it can often lose its value.  

The perfect example of this type of motivation, is an experiment which was conducted with a classful of children. All were given ice cream with the promise that if they ate it all, they would get some broccoli as a reward. What happened? Many of the children complained about having to eat the ice cream, with some even refusing to eat it, and asking to skip to the broccoli!  

Vexingly, even as adults, we still operate with the same basic ‘carrot and stick’ principle; however, we can make carrots out of our sticks!

Using Motivation as a Care Worker

Clients need, to varying degrees, to play an active part in their own wellbeing. This could be through encouragement to move around more, or to drink more fluids, for example. Often, we might resort to using rewards (extrinsic) – “Drink this and I’ll fetch you an extra biscuit with your cuppa” – or fear (also extrinsic – the desire to ‘avoid’) – “You’ll get dehydrated, Betty, and we don’t want that!”.  

However, a better way to change behaviour is to use good feelings that already exist around an activity. An example of this might be taking a walk through a favourite park, or perhaps encouraging more green-fingers clients to tend to plants in the home 🔗. It might take a little more time to work out what activities have intrinsic value for your client, but the results are far more likely to be long-lasting and self-driven.

We can give almost any Behaviour Intrinsic Value

It is slightly trickier when a behaviour just has no redeeming features for a client, but a combination of both types of motivation can help get them to the point where they engage in the activity for its own sake. Look for activities closely related to the desired behaviour which your client does have positive feelings for. These ‘milestones’ help to bring the person closer to the end goal.

For example:

Perhaps you care for someone who loves getting dressed up but not walking. Make a fuss: decide on which clothes to wear; what hat goes with what; which shoes look best. The walking activity will then become associated with feeling and looking good, and should eventually become part of that overall ‘good feeling’.  

Giving praise and encouragement are of course, always helpful. However, the goal is to get the individual to the point of doing the activity because they want to – not because they are praised. Remember: we are more likely to continue doing something unprompted when it makes us feel good. 

Thankfully, there are many intrinsic motivators that can apply to any behaviours, amongst them: a sense of achievement or fulfilment, a feeling of being in control, creative, important or independent; self-esteem, and of course; feelings of happiness or contentment!

Understand your client’s personal drivers

It’s too easy to see things from our perspective; how we would feel in that situation. But we are all different, with very disparate drivers. Let’s look at encouraging someone to be more mobile: 

A person who is fiercely independent will enjoy doing something that will enable them to feel self-sufficient. If you want them to be more active, try incorporating independence into your argument. “Just think, once you’re up and about again, you’ll be able to do that yourself”. 

Someone who prides themselves on their looks will be motivated by the feeling of doing something that will improve their self-image. “What a change I’ve seen in you since you’ve been in the garden more. You have a real rosy glow to your face!” 

Any social butterflies may be persuaded to go out for a coffee with “Why don’t we ask (Jenny) if she’ll be there? I know she’s hoping for a natter with you”,  rather than, perhaps “Let’s go for a coffee – the walk there will do you good”. 

…you get the picture!

As care workers, most of us likely do this naturally without thinking; but knowing what’s behind both types of motivation can help you to hone your powers of persuasion to better effect. So, find out what your clients’ key drivers are, mould their wellbeing activities around them …and, who knows, you might just see a few ‘sticks’ turn magically into ‘carrots’!