Health and safety for carers
The home is the workplace of carers and service providers of people with dementia.
This Help Sheet discusses some of the health and safety issues that arise when the
home is the workplace of carers and service providers.
Carers need to have a safe environment in
which to work. They must also be aware that
health and safety is important for any service
provider working in the home. Problems that
sometimes arise from working in an unsafe
environment include fatigue, stress, isolation,
ill health and back injury.
Checklist
This checklist may help to identify any
hazards in the home for carers and service
providers:
Sleep
Is it possible to get sufficient
uninterrupted sleep to be able to carry out
caring tasks safely?
Stress
Does the carer get a regular break (respite)
from caring?
Has the carer had access to adequate
information about dementia?
Has the carer had the opportunity to
discuss their grief with a counsellor or
friend?
Medical
Does the person with dementia have a
doctor who is experienced in the area of
dementia?
Fire
Is the carer or service provider at risk of
danger resulting from the actions of a
person with dementia, such as leaving on
stoves, heaters or appliances, or from
smoking?
Your Alzheimer’s Association can
be contacted directly on the:
Dementia Helpline
Freecall 1800 639 331
the environment and dementia
Personal care
Does the person with dementia have to be
lifted or transferred?
How many people are required?
Is equipment needed and available?
Has the carer or service provider received
training in safe manual handling
techniques?
Are modifications required to the toilet or
shower because the rooms are too
confined or awkward, requiring the carer
to stoop, twist or reach?
Is the person with dementia incontinent?
Are incontinence aids available?
Has the carer received advice from a
continence adviser?
Is there a laundry service available to
assist with the heavy washing load?
Behaviour problems
Is the carer or service provider at risk of
assault or considerable stress from the
person with dementia because of
challenging behaviours?
Has the carer received advice from a
specialist about the management of
challenging behaviours?
What to try
Information and counselling
Contact the Alzheimer’s Association for
information and counselling.
Apply for a Carer Support Kit which is
available free to carers from the Carers
Association. It has a range of practical
Each Australian State and Territory has an
Alzheimer’s Association which can provide
further information, counselling and support for
carers of people with dementia.
information on caring at home. The Carers
Association can be contacted on 1800 242
636.
Expert advice
Advice is available from the Aged Care
Assessment Team (ACAT) about
incontinence, challenging behaviours and
dementia generally.
Respite care
Contact a Carer Respite Centre on 1800 059
059. You will be connected to the Centre
nearest to your home. The Centre can provide
you with information about respite services in
your area, refer you to a service, and arrange
respite care for a one-off occasion, an
emergency or for a short period until a regular
respite service becomes available.
Carer support groups
Contact the Alzheimer’s Association or the
Carers Association for information about
your nearest support group.
Information and training on how to lift and
transfer safely
Advice is available from the Aged Care
Assessment Team.
Dementia education
The Alzheimer’s Association provides a range
of dementia training for family carers.
Home modifications
Assistance with home modifications is
available from the Home Maintenance and
Modifications program (HMM). Advice may
be required from an occupational therapist
about equipment and modifications.
Equipment and products
Equipment and continence products are
available for eligible people from the Program
of Aids for Disabled Persons (PADP).
Linen and laundry services
Information about subsidised help with
laundry may be available from the Carers
Respite Centre or from the local continence
The content and funding for the production of this sheet were provided by the NSW Ageing and Disability
Department under the NSW Action Plan on Dementia.
This publication provides a general summary only of the subject matter covered. Any person with
dementia or a carer for a person with dementia should seek professional advice about the specific case.
The Alzheimer’s Associations in Australia are not liable for any error or omission in this publication,
even if negligent.
© 2000 Alzheimer’s Association Australia
adviser located at the local hospital, the Aged
Care Assessment Team or the Community
Health Centre.
Life book
A “life book” with information about the
person’s social, work and medical history,
their likes and dislikes, etc. can help carers and
service providers understand the person with
dementia better and it also provides prompts
and cues to assist conversation.
Communication book
A “communication book” by the phone or
somewhere handy for carer and service
providers to leave messages for each other can
help everyone know what’s happening and
who has been to visit.
Advocacy card
The Alzheimer’s Association has produced a
card which can be offered discreetely to
service providers, shop assistants or
receptionists to engage their support. The
card, which is available free from the
Alzheimer’s Association, says My companion
has an illness which causes memory loss and
confusion. Please understand any unusual
behaviour.
Further help
This Help Sheet is one of a series of
sheets that summarises some of the
information in the manual At home with
dementia. The manual also contains
product information. It is available by
contacting the NSW Ageing and
Disability Department (ADD) on (02)
9367 6822 or from ADD’s website at
www.add.nsw.gov.au
A range of books, videos and Help
Sheets are available through your State
or Territory Alzheimer’s Association by
contacting the Dementia Helpline on
1800 639 331
These Help Sheets can be obtained on
the internet at www.alzvic.asn.au
Sheet 15
April 2000