Mad Hatter Page 2

 

 

In the past, many home support agen-
cies would hire any person intersted
in the Field, regardless of profes-
Sional training, and while the
Citation is still not needed for
employment, these same agencies are
now giving preference to Douglas
College graduates.

The Douglas College program is
specifically designed to help
currently employed Home Support
Workers upgrade their skills while
remaining on the job.

All classes are offered in the
evenings, once per week and the
program is divided into four steps
from general to specific.

Communication is the focus of the
first stage of the Home Support
Worker program. "Our graduates have
to work as a team with long term
care nurses, social workers, doctors,
and the supervisors from their em-
ployers, " Emery says.

Step One also looks into working
with people who have special needs
as well as recognizing the human
needs for people between birth and
30 years.

"The legal implications are also
looked into because our students
will have to deal with the differ-
ences between being a professional,
or just another friend in the home,"
Imery says.

When the program reaches Step Two,
students look at emotional trauma.
Depression and anger are very real
problems for many older people and
llome Support Workers have to come
to terms with this, Emery says.

lleavy emphasis at this step is placed
on recognizing the older person's
needs and learning how best to re-
spond to them. Sanitation and safety
in the home are also discussed in
Step Two.

More specific problems are discussed

 

during the third step of this
program. All students are expected
to be able to identify common di-
seases, plus learn about nutrition
and food preparation.

"Over any length of time, our
graduates are often the only person
to visit someone confined to their
home," Emery says. "For this reason
we have to add instruction on what
to do when someone is ill."

Students are also expected to obtain
a first aid certificate during Step
Three of the Home Support Worker
program at Douglas College.

And throughout the course, all
students are given the opportunity
to do actual work with one of the
many agencies who hire Home Support
Workers. This is called the
‘practicum’ portion of the program,
and students must meet competency
levels in at least 100 hours of
successful work time.

When students reach Step Four of the
program, they will already have a
good idea of their own potential as
a Home Support Worker, and many of
their original apprehensions should
be abated, Emery says.

"Some of our students start off very
nervous about attending a college,"
Emery says. "As learning proceeds
and confidence grows, students dis-
cover that education can be exciting
and bring new insights into their
chosen career."

And the high standard for graduates
of Douglas College's Home Support
Worker program is ensured by the
model of classroom theory, lab and
practicum field work used.

"We have complete confidence in all
of our graduates," Emery says. "And
the work we are doing is being well
received, judging from the many
agencies that hire our graduates
exclusively," she says.