Safety Ideas for a Care Provider of the Developmentally Disabled

Care providers who take care of developmentally disabled people in their homes have to take the safety of their clients into consideration. Care providers are required by each state in which they live and practice to meet state standards in order to be allowed to give care in their homes. State regulations vary from state to state; however, they all focus on fire safety, home safety, medical safety and bathroom safety.

Fire Safety

• Care providers are required to perform monthly fire drills and have a fire safety plan that includes a diagram showing all the exits and available ways for patients to escape a burning building. State requirements for care providers vary from state to state but most states require interconnected, hardwired smoke detectors. Care providers should have fire extinguishers installed and checked once a month to make sure the extinguisher is still full.

Bathroom Safety

• Care providers need to take their clients' individual needs into consideration when the client is trying to move around the bathroom. Non-slip rugs should be placed on the floor and if the client needs handicap access, the care provider should have the proper rails and equipment in place for him. Shower seats, arm handles for toilets and any other equipment should not easily move when weight is placed upon them.

Medical Safety

• Care providers are required to keep medications that the client uses in a locked box. Each state has a medical certification class that the care provider needs to pass in order to be allowed to give medications to the clients. The care provider should clearly record medical information in blue or black ink, never red or any other color. Doctor's visits should be documented on state-approved forms for the client's record books and so that guardians have information about the visits. Home providers should never mix two or more client's medicines together and are normally supervised by a nurse to make sure that all the client's medical needs are met.

Home Safety

• Care providers need to adjust their homes to the client's needs. If the client has a wheelchair, the care provider should check to see that all hallways and the doorways are wide enough to fit the disabled individual's wheelchair. If the client has trouble walking, the care provider should remove all area rugs that are movable, remove door thresholds that are raised and pick up all objects off the floor. Care providers can also provide rails and handles for areas that the client walks and moves around on so that the client can travel safely. Stairways and entryways should be clear at all times.