If you’re considering a career as a medical office assistant, you may be looking into the type of training and experience you’ll need to pursue this path. You may also be wondering whether you’re going to have the time and discipline needed to begin a new career, especially if you have other existing commitments.

A training program that includes a self-directed component will provide you with some flexibility to fit your studies into your existing schedule.

Self-directed learning allows students to take control over their education, providing them with the program modules to learn on their own, as well as one-on-one instructor support, should they have difficulty with any of the course material.

Want to know how you can succeed in a medical office administration training program that is partially self-directed? Read on for a few important strategies for learning success.

Remember Why You Want to Become a Medical Office Administrator

Before you begin your medical office administrator program, you should have a clear goal and a reason for pursuing this career. Being goal-oriented will reduce the risk of procrastination and of you growing bored over time.

If you’re considering medical office administration training because you would like to unlock more lucrative and in-demand career opportunities, reminding yourself of this goal is a great way to stay focused throughout your program. As you study, try to visualize yourself working in a medical office and the benefits that doing so may entail, such as potential for career growth, a higher salary and greater job satisfaction.

Use the 5-Hour Rule to Make Long-Term Progress in Your Career Training Program

How do you put a growth mindset into action? Take Benjamin Franklin as an example. Franklin dropped out of school at age 10, but went on to become a brilliant statesman, inventor, businessman and author. One of the keys to his success was setting aside one hour each day to learning, by reading or writing. This strategy has become known as the 5-hour rule. While an hour a day doesn’t sound like much, it quickly adds up to a substantial 5 hours over the workweek. For one hour each weekday, study the modules in your career training program and you’ll find that learning a small, incremental amount each day is manageable and leads to big gains over time.

Your Career Training Instructor Can Help You Engage with Course Materials

A good medical office assistant training program that incorporates self-directed learning won’t leave you completely to your own devices. Instead, you will have an instructor who will be available to offer one-on-one support and guidance. Make use of the instructor’s help by reaching out with any questions you may have about the course materials. Not only can your instructor help clear up any problems you may be having, but the more you engage with the instructor, the more you will ultimately engage with the course material itself.

Do you want to become a medical office administrator?

Contact KLC College to learn more about our programs.

Anyone looking forward to a career as a dental assistant can expect to spend a fair amount of time retrieving, updating and reviewing dental records. These are the records of a patient’s past appointments and procedures, any recorded issues and any other information relevant to their dental care, and taken together, they form a clear picture of that patient’s dental health and history.

If you’re just beginning dental assistant training or considering enrolling, and are curious to know more about these records, here’s a quick guide that will help you understand why they’re so important.

What’s Included in a Dental Record?

The contents of a dental record will vary between patients, who each have their own unique histories of treatment, but some information like age, date of birth, place of employment and contact information will always be included.
Other documents or information that can be found in a dental record include a complete record of appointments, past treatments and complaints, allergies and medications, clinical and radiographic findings, copies of test results, consent forms for invasive procedures and anaesthetizing, and any other information pertinent to a patient’s dental health, including relevant comments from dental assistants such as follow-up instructions given after a procedure.

Students in Dental Assistant Training Know the Importance of Continuity of Care

One of the most important functions of a dental record is to ensure continuity of care for patients. This means that when a patient moves or decides to change their dental care provider, their new dentist can rely on an accurate and up-to-date summary of their dental history and any ongoing issues when making their diagnoses.

This can be particularly important for issues like periodontal bone loss, which progress over time. A dentist examining a new patient with periodontal bone loss needs to know how quickly or gradually it’s progressing, whether it’s still progressing and how long it’s been happening, for example. These are all questions that can be answered by a complete and accurate dental record.

Even if a patient isn’t changing dental care providers, professionals who have completed their dental assistant training know that this record-keeping can be incredibly important in identifying, tracking and accurately diagnosing these types of long-term or progressive dental issues.

Dental Records Can Be Important for Protecting Dental Professionals as Well

Not only do dental records ensure that patients receive the best possible care, but by keeping a clear record of treatment, dental practices can also protect themselves against complaints from patients and possible malpractice litigation. Documentation of a patient’s missed appointments or failure to follow instructions for further care, for example, can be important in accurately tracing blame for a subsequent issue, and protecting a dentist from liability for an issue which was not actually a result of any treatment they provided.

Dental Practices Have Clear Responsibilities Regarding Dental Records

Dental practices are responsible for keeping their patients’ dental records accurate and up-to-date. Patients actually own the information contained in their own records, and dentists are obligated by law to provide these records to other dental practices, or to the patients themselves if they request it. This is true even if a patient owes outstanding fees.

What this means for students in a dental assistant diploma program is that these records represent a very important element of a dentist’s legal obligations to their patients, as well an essential tool in providing them the best possible care, and so their proper maintenance, updating and storage is essential to the functioning of any well-run dental practice.

Are you interested in going to career college to become a dental assistant?

Contact KLC College today for more information about our program.

The overarching goal for any Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) is to assist in improving the quality of life of clients. Indeed, the fact that you’ll be able to help people in tangible ways may be one of the main reasons you’re considering a career as an OTA.

The people you’ll help are likely to have different individual needs and abilities. Here’s a look at some of the types of clients you might work with if you pursue a career as an occupational therapy assistant.

Children and Young Clients Present Unique Opportunities for Occupational Therapy Assistants

Children and younger clients have a wide array of needs and goals that occupational therapy assistants can help with. OTAs work under the direction of an occupational therapist (OT) to help children develop their skills. While the occupational therapist will develop a program for the client, it is the job of the OTA to work directly with that client so that they complete the tasks in the program.

For example, occupational therapists often develop what are called “sensory circuits” for children with autism. A sensory circuit is a series of physical tasks, like skipping, juggling and wall push-ups, that helps autistic children activate or control their sensory-motor activity. A trained OTA will guide the child through each step of the sensory circuit and report back to the occupational therapist about the child’s progress with the program.

Occupational Therapy Assistants Improve the Quality of Life for Elderly Clients

When you become an occupational therapy assistant, you will likely work with senior clients. The needs of seniors vary considerably depending on their individual circumstances, which may range from struggling with Alzheimer’s disease to managing arthritis pain.

For a client suffering from arthritis, an occupational therapist may recommend a range of adaptive equipment that causes less stress to the client’s joints. Your job as an occupational therapy assistant will be to help the client use this equipment and report back to the OT about whether the equipment has helped lessen the client’s pain or not.

Occupational Therapy Assistants Help Support Clients Suffering from Terminal Illnesses

OTAs provide invaluable support to those who require palliative care, such as seniors who are nearing the end of their lives, or individuals suffering from terminal illnesses. The goal in end-of-life care is not rehabilitation, but it is to help the client feel as though they are still leading a meaningful life, even though they may no longer be able to do the things that were once important to them.

An OT will develop a program for the client, which may include small daily tasks like making coffee or performing simple exercises, for instance. When performed by the client, these tasks can help them feel as though they still have some autonomy over their lives. After completing your occupational therapy assistant training, you’ll be equipped with the skills to help such clients complete these tasks, or discuss with their caregiver how they can help.

Occupational and Physiotherapy Assistant Training Can Help Those Recovering from Injuries

An injury, such as from a workplace accident or a motor vehicle crash, can require victims to undergo extensive physiotherapy and occupational therapy. In many cases, the goal of the treatment will be to help the client achieve full or partial rehabilitation. If you pursue occupational and physiotherapy assistant training, you’ll learn much more about the steps involved in rehabilitating from a traumatic injury.

As an OTA, you could find yourself helping injured clients in a number of ways. One client’s rehabilitation program may focus on helping them regain their speech abilities, while another client might need assistance to improve their hand function.

Your role may also consist of helping clients learn how to use special equipment found in their homes, such as stair lifts, grab rails, and raised toilet seats, which can help them live more independently.

Are you interested in becoming an occupational therapy assistant?

Contact KLC College today to learn more about our career training programs!

Medication can be sold or administered as tablets, creams, injections, drops, capsules and more. These different ways that pharmaceutical drugs are administered, along with the physical forms that they take, are collectively referred to as drug dosage forms.

One of the most important responsibilities a pharmacy assistant has is preparing pharmaceutical drugs for customers. A part of that responsibility includes understanding what drug dosage forms are, how they are used and the advantages and disadvantage of each form. If you’re considering a pharmacy assistant career, read on to learn more.

Pharmacy Assistants Should Know About These Drug Dosage Form Categories

There are two categories under which the different types of drug dosage forms fall: route of administration and physical form. Route of administration refers to how the drug actually enters the body, such as by being ingested or applied topically.

Different routes of administration include, but are not limited to:

• Oral
• Topical
• Inhaled
• Subcutaneous
• Rectal
• Intravenous

The physical form, on the other hand, refers to whether the drug is administered as a solid, semisolid, liquid or gas. There is a lot of overlap between the route of administration and the physical form a drug takes. A drug that can be inhaled, for example, such as an aerosol, will come in a gaseous form. One that is applied topically, on the other hand, will come in a semisolid form.

Pharmacy Assistants Understand Why Different Drug Forms Are Used

Various circumstances, such as the condition being treated, the needs of the patient and how the drug is best absorbed by the body, will determine which drug dosage form is best. Once you’ve completed your training and become a pharmacy assistant, you will find that most people tend to prefer drugs that are administered orally, especially as tablets or capsules. However, oral medication is not suitable for everyone. The patient may be uncooperative, such as if they suffer from dementia or if they are young children. Also, stomach acid and enzymes may interfere with how the drug is absorbed. In such cases, a suppository or an injection may be more practical for administering the drug.

Suppositories and injections are both invasive and many patients, especially young children, tend to dislike them. The career training you’ll receive in a good pharmacy assistant program will help you understand the basics of pharmacology, including which dosage forms are more invasive than others. For example, a non-invasive drug dosage form, like a topical cream, may be ideal for a patient who has a rash or muscle pain. The downside with topicals, however, is that they are absorbed into the body at a slower rate than other forms of medication, such as intravenous, for example, which allows the medication to enter the bloodstream rather quickly.

There are various other factors to consider when choosing the right drug dosage form. Some dosage forms are easier to measure than others, while some need to be absorbed into specific areas of the body. As you will learn, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all drug dosage form and understanding the basic differences between each one is part of the job of a pharmacy assistant.

Are you interested in enrolling in a pharmacy assistant training program?

Contact KLC College today to learn how you can get started!

Are you looking for training that will prepare you to find work in a wide variety of areas? If so, office administration may be right for you! Most companies need employees who have a diverse set of skills, which can be acquired in a good office and business administration training course program.

If you’re considering enrolling at an office administration school, read on to learn about some of the exciting career paths that will be available to you once you graduate.

1. Become a Receptionist After Office Administration Training

Are you a people person with a strong work ethic? Then you might consider a career as a receptionist once you’ve completed your office administration course program.

Receptionists are generally the first point of contact for clients when they visit a business or office. That means someone in this role will need to maintain a professional demeanour and have excellent communication skills. Some of the daily responsibilities of a receptionist include scheduling appointments, taking phone calls and greeting clients. These professionals may also be tasked with typing and sending emails, taking meeting notes, sending out office memos and more, which will require them to have basic computer skills.

A good office administration training program provides students with the computer skills they’ll need to complete their daily tasks once they begin their career. Students at KLC College, for example, will receive practical, hands-on training in basic computer programs and software including Windows 7, Microsoft Office, QuickBooks Pro and more.

2. Prepare for Many Tasks as an Administrative Assistant

Administrative assistants are the backbone of any office and they are usually responsible for completing a wide range of tasks daily. This career path is a great choice for those who enjoy completing different tasks from day to day.

If you decide to become an administrative assistant, it will be your job to make sure the office that you work for runs smoothly. Your duties may include communicating with clients, organizing events, sending and sorting mail, managing inventory, data entry, preparing documents, and much more.

3. Gain the Skills Needed to Become a Successful Personal Assistant

Personal assistants do much of the same work that administrative assistants do, however, instead of assisting the entire office, they focus on assisting one senior executive of the company. This is a fast-paced job with tons of responsibility. Since personal assistants handle much of the communication for company executives, it is very important that they have a good work ethic, professional demeanor, and of course, excellent communication skills.

In large companies, personal assistants usually need to gain experience as administrative assistants first. In smaller offices, however, the knowledge gained in a business administration course, including administration software proficiency, will prepare you to take on the role.

4. Benefit from Your Business Administration Skills as an Office Manager

If you want a career that enables you to use your leadership and organizational skills, then consider becoming an office manager. The duties of an office manager depend on the specific company you work for. However, responsibilities often include managing invoicing, ordering inventory, communicating with staff and clients and supporting human resources.

Of course, you may not begin your career by jumping directly into an office management position. Many people become office managers once they’ve gained experience as an administrative assistant and put the skills they learned in their business administration courses to use on the job. Those skills can help you succeed in your job and enable you to climb the ladder to a leadership position faster.

Are you ready to become an office administrator?

Contact KLC College to learn more about our office administration program, which is offered any Monday!

Our personal and professional lives are all driven by communication. It is an important skill that we rely on to express ourselves, establish expectations, state problems and find solutions. Communication is one of the core activities involved in the accounting profession because it is the main way to share information clearly and concisely.

There is, however, more to communication than you may think. From verbal to written communication, and active listening to objectivity, communicating effectively involves many different components. If you are a good communicator with an interest in accounting, read on to find out why your skills make you a perfect fit for accounting courses.

1. Accounting Professionals Engage with Active Listening

Accounting clerks must use their active listening skills to make sure they fully understand whomever they are communicating with, whether it is their boss, another colleague or a client.

Active listening involves grounding yourself in the present moment and hearing what the other person is saying in a meaningful, attentive manner. Professionals with accounting clerk training understand that there will be times when they need to go over information with co-workers or managers to ensure that operations are running smoothly. In order to do that, they must use active listening to respond with appropriate questions, rephrasing to make sure they’ve heard something correctly, and keep everyone on the same page.

2. Verbal Communication Can Enrich Your Accounting Clerk Training

One of the most common barriers to communication is often, simple misunderstanding. Verbal communication skills make your points or concerns clear to all parties involved.

Whether you’re explaining a policy to a client or updating a colleague on a situation at the office, verbal communication skills are a primary means of keeping yourself and others informed, and decrease the chances of a misunderstanding. Accounting clerks may often have to simplify complicated accounting terms to someone who may be less familiar with the topic, and know to keep their explanations brief, concise and polite.

3. Writing Communication is a Key Part of Success after Career College

Communicating in writing is sometimes overlooked, however, written communication is still a necessary skill during career college and beyond.

Written documents such statements or inventory reports must be prepared in a specific way in order to properly pass on the information they contain. Accounting clerks may find themselves having to answer clients’ emails or provide a brief synopsis of a document, and in these areas your ability to communicate through your writing is crucial because a misunderstanding can easily come up if you don’t pay attention to the tone and content of your writing.

4. Accounting Clerk Professionals Know to Keep Perspective

Perspective can be a subtler aspect of communication because it doesn’t necessarily share your thoughts, but instead influences the way you receive information and input from others.

Communication is more than expressing yourself, however. It also involves being able to appropriately give and receive feedback, which allows you to focus on skills you need to grow as a professional. If someone has a different perception than you of a problem or concept, you can use your perspective skills to better understand their position and work together to find a solution.

Are you ready to put your communication skills to good use?

Contact KLC College for more information about beginning an accounting clerk course.

Like many other healthcare specialities, prevention is often better than cure in dentistry. While modern dental professionals can treat a wider range of complex conditions and issues than ever before, they are still careful to emphasize the importance of preventative dentistry to patients.

The idea of preventative dentistry is that dental professionals encourage patients to take active care of their teeth through healthy oral hygiene habits, regular dental visits and preventative treatments in order to limit the risk of developing serious dental problems. In doing so, they help to save patients a lot of time, money and discomfort.

Dental assistants play a huge role in preventative dentistry, assisting in treatments and helping to educate patients about proper dental health. If you are considering this career, keep reading to learn more about what preventative dentistry involves and why it’s so important.

Dental Assistant Program Grads Promote Preventative Oral Health Habits

One of the most important components of preventative dentistry is ensuring patients adopt a regular dental health routine. By brushing and flossing on a daily basis, they can dramatically reduce harmful plaque buildup which could cause tooth decay or gum disease.

In addition to encouraging regular brushing and flossing, it’s important that patients are educated in how to do it correctly. Brushing too hard or for too long can wear away tooth enamel, while flossing too aggressively can damage the gums. Dental assistants are often tasked with demonstrating the proper techniques to patients.

The Role of Nutrition in Preventative Dentistry

During their Level II dental assistant training at KLC College, students complete a module called Preventive Dentistry and Nutrition. The reason these two areas are grouped together is because they often go hand in hand. Dietary habits can have a huge bearing on how likely a patient is to experience dental problems.

In order to limit risks, dental assistants should encourage patients to limit the amount of sugars and carbohydrates in their diets, as these foods can increase the risk of tooth decay. They should also promote a diet that is rich in certain vitamins and minerals that can help strengthen teeth. Calcium is arguably the most important, as it strengthens tooth enamel, but Vitamin D is also crucial, since it increases mineral density and helps our bones to absorb calcium. Dairy products are an excellent source of both. Vitamin A, which is found in root vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes, can play a big role in oral health too, because it helps to keep gums strong.

The Importance of Regular Check-Ups and Preventative Dental Treatments

While good oral health and nutrition will severely lessen a patient’s risk of developing dental problems, it is still important they have regular check-ups. This is a crucial part of preventative dentistry, as it allows dental professionals to identify any issues early, making them easier to treat.
A dentist will be able to catch the early warning signs of many dental problems through a physical examination, and can also use x-rays to spot issues which are not visible to the naked eye. Graduates of KLC College’s Level II dental assistant diploma program are qualified to perform dental x-rays in the province of Ontario.

Dentists may also provide a number of preventative treatments for patients, such as topical fluoride therapies, which can make teeth stronger and more resistant. For younger patients, dental sealants are another option, and help to protect the chewing surfaces of teeth from wear and decay.

Do you want to become a dental assistant?

Contact KLC College today to find out more about the career training we provide.

A career as an occupational therapy assistant can be incredibly rewarding for those who are suited to the work. Occupational therapy assistants, under the supervision of an occupational therapist, take a client-centered approach to help people with a variety of injuries, illnesses and disabilities, assisting them in developing, recovering and improving the skills they need to enjoy a fulfilling life and career.

This work might look different from day to day, depending on the setting and the clients. These professionals sometimes help disabled or injured clients with therapeutic activities or exercises to improve their mobility, or guide developmentally disabled children in play activities to promote their coordination and social skills. They might also coach clients in the use of assistive devices, or teach them new skills or strategies for overcoming the challenges presented by their disability.

Whatever form it takes, occupational therapy is a tremendously valuable service for those seeking to assert their independence and develop the skills needed to live their best lives, and occupational therapy assistants play an essential role in that process. With good pay, high and growing demand and training that can be completed in only 44 weeks, occupational therapy is a very promising career path for anyone looking to make a difference in the lives of others.

Here’s how to know for sure if an occupational therapy assistant program is right for you.

Good Communication Skills are Essential in Occupational Therapy Careers

If you want to become an occupational therapy assistant, you’ll need to have good communication skills. These are important for connecting with clients, and providing them with feedback, coaching and guidance. You’ll also be regularly communicating with your supervising occupational therapist and other colleagues.

If you’re good at listening, speaking clearly and giving and taking directions, then you might be well-suited to a career as an occupational therapy assistant.

You Have Good Interpersonal Skills and Enjoy Working with People

Occupational therapy assistants spend all day working with people – clients, colleagues, other specialists and their supervising occupational therapist. If you’re a team player with excellent interpersonal skills and an eagerness to work in a client-centered environment, then you might thrive in this highly personable line of work.

If you enjoy working with people, occupational therapy can be a rewarding career path

You Don’t Mind a Job That Keeps You on Your Feet

Once you’ve completed an occupational therapy assistant program, you can expect to engage in fairly regular physical activity in the course of your work. Occupational therapy assistants spend most of their shifts on their feet, setting up equipment, transporting clients, assisting them through their therapy and cleaning up and putting away equipment afterwards, so if you’re interested in this career path, you should be okay with a job that keeps you moving.

You’re Patient, Dedicated and Prepared for Challenges

While it’s a rewarding career, being an occupational therapy assistant isn’t always easy. Clients are often facing very difficult and frustrating challenges, and sessions can sometimes be physically and emotionally draining for both them and their therapists and assistants. Anyone interested in occupational therapy assistant training should be prepared for the unique challenges that come with the work.

Become an Occupational Therapy Assistant If You Want a Job Helping People

Despite the challenges, being an occupational therapy assistant is a fulfilling and gratifying job. You get to help people regain their independence, develop or recover important life skills and overcome their limitations. For anyone who wants to go to work every day and make a tangible difference in the lives of others, this is an excellent career choice.

Occupational therapy assistants get to make a positive impact every day through their work

Are you interested in a rewarding new career as an occupational therapy assistant?

Contact KLC College for more information about our occupational therapist assistant course.

It’s not unusual for children to occasionally engage in aggressive behaviour. As they go through different stages of development and face new and unfamiliar challenges, they sometimes lack the skills to articulate their feelings to others, and so they resort to lashing out physically. Taken alone, this isn’t necessarily a source for concern. It’s often just part of growing up, as children learn how to control their impulses and regulate their emotions in a healthy way.

In some children, however, the problem may not be one or two isolated incidents of aggression, but a continuing pattern of behaviour. In these cases, more sustained attention and care will be required. Aggression in children is usually a sign of underlying issues which need to be addressed, so it’s not enough to focus on the external behaviour. The cause of the aggression needs to be addressed as well.

For child and youth workers, it may not always be easy to figure out the underlying causes of aggression. Children often lack the vocabulary or the means of expressing themselves clearly enough to give a strong indication of any one cause. Their outbursts are often as mysterious to themselves as they are to those around them.

The first step for anyone planning to become a child and youth worker is to be familiar with the possible causes. Here are three common ones that you should know.

1. Mood Disorders in Children Can Potentially Lead to Aggression

One potential cause of aggression to consider is the presence of a mood disorder. Children who suffer from bipolar disorder, for example, can experience dramatic shifts in their mood, and unlike bipolar adults who may experience the manic stages of the disorder as elation or euphoria, bipolar children are much more likely to have manic episodes marked by anger and rage. If it’s suspected that a child suffers from bipolar disorder, they should immediately be referred to a child psychiatrist or a childrens mental health expert.

2. Frustration or Impulsivity Can Sometimes Be Mistaken for Aggression

In other cases, children might be suffering from conditions which cause them frustration, provoking aggressive outbursts as they struggle to verbalize or work through the difficulties they’re experiencing. This can sometimes happen with children with learning disabilities, who struggle with their schoolwork and other tasks. It can also happen with children affected by autism, who struggle to communicate. Students in child and youth care worker training at KLC College will learn more about this subject in the autism spectrum disorder workshop.

Impulsivity in children can also sometimes be misinterpreted as aggression. Children may not be intentionally inflicting harm, but simply acting without considering the consequences, as might be the case when a child suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

 

 

3. Be Mindful of Children’s Home Situations When You Become a Child and Youth Worker

Underlying mental or psychological conditions aren’t the only potential causes of aggression in children, though. It can also sometimes be a result of stress, which can come from any number of external factors, including parental unemployment or health issues, the breakup of a marriage, poverty and deprivation, or fractured and combative home situations. In these cases, it’s essential for families and the people who support them to manage these external stressors in order to stem the root cause of a child’s aggression, and give them the support and safety they need to develop healthy coping mechanisms.

 

Are you interested in attending a career college to become a child and youth worker?

Contact KLC College today for more information about our programs.

The help of a Personal Support Worker (PSW) can make a world of difference in the lives of seniors. From assisting with basic daily living activities like eating and bathing, to helping facilitate a more active lifestyle, to providing simple companionship, PSWs can make their clients’ lives richer and more fulfilling in a number of ways.

Not only that, but PSWs also take responsibility for the safety of their clients. Seniors can be at increased risk of illness, injury or accidents, and trained caregivers must do everything in their power to limit potential risks.

If you’re considering a career in this rewarding field, read on to learn how PSWs can help keep clients safe.

Removing Potential Hazards from a Client’s Living Space

A large part of ensuring the safety of seniors is assessing their living area in order to spot any potential hazards and remove them. For instance, seniors are at increased risk of suffering from falls, which can lead to serious injuries. PSWs should check that all walkways are clear of anything a client might trip over, like electrical cords. Another good tip is to tape down any rugs or mats to the floor to prevent them from moving when walked upon and causing clients to slip.

PSWs dealing with those who suffer from neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s or other cognitive impairments may also need to take additional measures to prevent clients from putting themselves in danger. This might include securing entrances and exits to prevent them from wandering, and keeping medications, cleaning products and other hazardous materials out of sight to guard against poisoning. A personal support worker course like the one offered at KLC College will include specialized training in cognitive and mental health issues to fully prepare you for the challenges of working with these clients.

Safety Aids for Seniors You Can Use After Your PSW Training Program

Depending on a client’s circumstances, it may also be possible to introduce a number of safety aids to their living environment in order to limit potential problems. For example, hand rails could be installed in the bathroom to help clients support themselves when showering or using the toilet.

For clients who live at home, it can also be a good idea to recommend buying kitchen appliances which have an automatic shut-off feature. That way, if a client accidentally leaves an appliance on, it will automatically power down after a few minutes, reducing the risk of fire.

PSW training program graduates should recommend appliances with automatic shut-off features

Another very simple safety aid you can recommend for clients is a pill organizer. This is a compartmentalized box that will help them keep track of their medications so that they don’t forget to take their pills or accidentally overdose.

Ensuring a Client’s Safety When They Are Unsupervised

Depending on where you choose to work after your personal support worker college program, there may be times when your clients are left unsupervised. In these situations, it’s important that you take steps to prepare for any emergency situations that may arise when they are left to their own devices.

You should encourage clients to keep a phone nearby at all times, and write down emergency numbers so they can contact someone immediately if an accident occurs. An emergency response system, which is a necklace or wristband the client can wear with a button that can be pressed to call for medical assistance, can also be a potentially lifesaving device.

Emergency response systems can help keep clients safe after your personal support worker course

Above all else, it’s important to communicate with your client and be sure that they are aware of what to do in any emergency situation, and of any precautions they should take when they are alone. Doing this will help them take charge of their own safety, and ultimately allow them to foster a greater sense of independence.

Interested in helping improve the quality of seniors’ lives?

Contact KLC College to learn more about our PSW training program!