Question

⦁ List two (2) stereotypes, false beliefs and myths associated with caring. Briefly describe how each of these affect the attitude of carers and support workers. Guidance: Each description must be no more than 50 to 80 words.

1.Stereotypes, false beliefs and myths associated with caring

2.How these affect the attitude of carers and support workers

Answer 1

Stereotype is a generalized belief about something. In health care field also stereotype, false beliefs and myths exists. Though technology improved, recent advancements happened in health care, research activities improved all around the world, no changes occured in peoples attitude and behaviour regarding the false beliefs regarding the health care practices. Still in many part of the world, these false beliefs are existing among the carers and support workers leading them to provide unsafe health services to the patients and leading their lif at risk. Lets see some of the common stereotypes, false belief and myths associated with caring among the carers and support workers.

1.Restraining is the only method for caring agitated patients and elderly patients:

This is one of the common stereotype existing among the support workers and carers working in hospice service and old age homes.For that they will restraints all the agitated patients and elderly people at the bed side. This will lead to altered mobility and impaired skin integrity among them. Restraining the patient may increse the risk of contractures, since the extrimity is held in the position for a long period. This will also cause the development of pressure ulcers over the dependent part of the body. Agitation is a normal part of some of the disease conditions like psychiatric symptoms, substance addiction, withdrawl etc. this can be effectively managed with group therapy, exercise therapy, occupational therapy etc. Instaed of making the patient to actively participate in these activities, simply tie them over their bed is not a good practice of the support workers.This is against ethics and freedom of movement of patients. The support workers will apply these interventions for all patients and thus they cause mental depression and unnecessary injuries for the patients. the support workers must understand that physical restraints are not safe, they are harmful. Mobility and freedom are the right of every individual irrespective of their age, physical status etc. Every patient have the right to take their own decision regarding their treatment options called autonomy. The carers or support workers do not have any right to restrain them.

2. Pressure ulcers are common among elderly people due to age related changes.

This is an another false belief about caring old age people. In most of the elderly people if we do a skin assessment pressure sores may be found. Its the care givers false belief that pressure ulcers are developing because of age related changes. BY keeping this false belief in mind, most of the tiem, they never do a proper skin assessment for the elderly. Skin ulcers can develop due to continuous exposure to friction,moisture immobility etc. Providing adequate skin care, turning the patient from his dependent position every hourly, applying skin soothening lotions and use of oinments can keep the skin healthy and prevent skin break down. If the carers do it regularly without the false beliefs, the occurance of pressure ulcers can be markedly decresed among the elderly population. Thes types of false beliefs of support workers leading to negligent skin care.