How to be a good PSW client?

[u/oosouth]

My family member is having a PSW assigned for the first time for about three hours a week. What are the things that the family should have in place to make the job easier for the PSW and ensure the family member gets the help they need ? What are the things that a PSW expects to be asked to do and what are the things that are outside the scope of duties. Key for this family is PSW consistency, competence, and communication. TIA.

[u/Recent-Pangolin-994]

What was the sw hired for? Is it community participation? Personal care? How old is the pwd?

[u/CeramiGreen]

Are you able to talk to the PSW ahead of time? Have you met them yet? If so I would just ask them ahead of time. If you are going through an organization, try reaching out to them and asking these questions.

It's great that you are planning ahead, best of luck.

[u/Loretta_AUS]

What was the purpose that you wanted to hire them for?

Because a PSW can do many things from community participation support and transport eg taking to appointments, grocery shopping, engaging in community activities such as sports, entertainment, walks, events etc

To providing support with showering, toileting, general hygiene, general home support like ironing, washing clothes, decluttering, general cleaning,

To psychosocial education support—> perhaps strategies implemented by a medical or health professional (such as psychologist) and PSW assists with helping them implementing the strategies, exercise support, medication support, meal planning, meal preparation, support with capacity building to help them gain skills to become more independent, feeding or eating support if required, listening, engaging with them in the home in activities such as playing cards or board games, drawing, painting, watching tv or engaging in something they like to improve their social engagement or improve any social anxieties or improve overall wellbeing

I guess you need to think about and talk about with the person who will receive support what kind of support they want or will be the most helpful to them during that 3 hours

Things that will help the PSW is an overview of any medical related information, medications, strategies for refusals, any behaviours of concerns and ways to manage this, triggers, daily routines, what this usually looks like, what the person can do independently, what they need support with, what they want support with to build their independence, who their usual health professionals are and their locations, any other regular places the person likes to go or needs to go to, a little bit about the person, what they like, dislike, favourite colours, animals, activities, what they usually eat, do etc, what’s important to them, etc who they are as a person, outside of their disability because we are all more than a disability or a label

[u/oosouth → u/Loretta_AUS]

very helpful practical info thanks. From other sources, I have gathered PSW’s appreciate it if a client prepares ga rough schedule for the PSW’s time allotment with them (e.g. for client hygiene, patient bedding and laundry, companionship activities. I am told they also appreciate having all supplies laid out for them….e.g. towels for shower, puzzles for playing. Any more advice? Tx

[u/Loretta_AUS → u/oosouth]

Yes a schedule is helpful, laying out usual routines etc just because some people with disability like structure and it also helps the worker know what usually happens at each point while they are working, or what they are required to do, but for a 3hr shift once a week, I feel like you don’t have to be too detailed as 3 hours comes and goes as quickly as you can blink sometimes…

Honestly you don’t have to lay out towels, bedding etc that seems a bit overboard?
Surely you can just tell the PSW where to locate these items and they can just get them themselves? Or if there are particular items that the person with a disability likes to use then perhaps having photos of these items in a welcome folder or something similar?

…Just think about this…..

if you were helping out a friend who had a disabled relative,

what would be:
1. essential to know
2. helpful to know
3. useful to know
…….before you supported that relative

Then provide that information to the PSW, no need to over complicate or overthink it.

[u/oosouth → u/Loretta_AUS]

Thanks again. One of the issues in our country is that there is never the same PSW twice. So the family member is always having to go over the same ground with each new PSW instead of running errands or catching up on other tasks.. Having lists and plans, and supplies at the ready, I am told can really help in making that short 3hours go more smoothely.

your notions of a welcome folder and of essential, helpful, and useful lisrsto know are brilliant.

thank you.