Question

6.7) What are the risks associated with showering or bathing a person in their own home? (Hint: common physical injuries and causative factors).

6.8) Describe 3 (three) practices you could implement to minimise injury to self and clients in relation to the above identified physical injuries.

Answer 1

6.7

Answer; The risks with showering or bathing a person in their home may cause physical injuries especially for older people because of their imbalance of body and weakness to the muscle to control their body.

The common physical injuries include injury due to fall or slip and burn. The injury due to falls is the highest common injury for the old age people. Once a person becomes older, there is a reduced body balance or control of the body balance which leads to frequent falls in the bathroom. The causative factors is a slippery floor, not clean the floor properly, wet floor, absent of any supportive grab bars or handrails in the bathroom.

Burn occurs due to not maintain the temperature of the water and taking bath leads to burn to the skin. This is also very common in old age people. This is because of their lack of ability to care for themselves and reduce the sensory level, the bathroom water is not set properly leads to burn to the person.

6.8

1. Installed the grab bar, handrails, and shower chair in the wall of the bathroom. This can reduced the fall and support the old age person. There can also place a shower chair so that the person can sit and take the shower because standing for a long time and taking a shower may also lead to fall.

2. Mopped the floor and place a non-slip bath mat

the floor should mopped properly to prevent the wet floor. Because the wet floor can lead to falling. Placing the non-slip bath mat can reduce the slipping on the floor.

3. Assist the old age while taking bath and maintain the temperature. The old age person who are not able to care self can assist by the family member or caregiver. The temperature should be maintained to 40 degrees Celcius to prevent burn.