Home care Aide Terminology Flashcards
Key Terms
Abandonment
Leaving or deserting a person without a way or the ability to care for themselves
Abuse
A willful action or inaction that leads to harm
Bias
An opinion that influences your judgement
Confidential
Not revealing any personal information
Consumer
The focus of the care team; the person who needs assistance
Consumer-Directed Care
Consumers have the right to make their own daily living choices.
Dignity
A sense of pride and self respect; feeling worthy of respect from others
Exploitation
To take advantage of a person or situation for personal gain
Grievance
A formal complaint
Mandatory Reporter
A person required by law to report suspected abuse, neglect, financial exploitation and abandonment
Ombudsman
A person who advocates for the rights of consumers in long term care facilities
Privacy
To screen from view when assisting with personal care; not talking about consumers personal matters
Vulnerable Adult
A consumer 60 years or older who is not able to care for themselves because of functional, mental, or physical disabilities. 18 years -adult family home; development disability
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
Every day personal care activities, including bathing, toileting, dressing, grooming, hygiene, locomotion, and eating
Assessment Details
A section of a DSHS care plan that describes the Consumers strengths, limitations, and care task references and provides specific caregiver instructions
Baseline
The “normal “ level of functioning of a person (physical, emotional, mental, and social)
Care Plan
A written plan that outlines everything the care team is to do to support the consumer
Care Team
Everyone who provides care for the consumer including professionals, relatives, and the Consumer
Case Manager
Person who helps the Consumer define services that are needed, documents them in the care plan and provides ongoing case management
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)
Routine tasks performed around the home or in the community such as meal preparation, grocery shopping and housework.
Personal Care Services
Tasks done to help Consumer with activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living
Professional Boundaries
Appropriate limits in a job relationship
Restraint
A device or action that limits or restricts movement of a consumer; the use of restraints is illegal
Self Neglect
Occurs when vulnerable adults refuse or are unable to provide goods and services for their physical and mental health, well-being and safety
Service Summary
A section of the DSHS care plan that documents contact information, caregivers, schedules and Consumer goals
Active Listening
A way of listening that focuses entirely on the other person and makes sure you understood what was said
Barrier
A circumstance or obstacle that keeps people or things apart or prevents communication of progress; anything that blocks good communication
Body Language
What is communicated through gestures, facial expressions and eye contact
Culture
The attitudes and behavior characteristics of a particular social group or organization including views about food, dress, religion, family relationships and roles
Feedback
A reaction or response to something
Nonverbal
Nonspoken expression, body language, facial expressions and hand gestures
Objective
Facts only
Subjective
Personal feelings, impressions or interpretations
Airborne
Contact with a germ traveling through the air
Bacteria
Microscopic organisms (germs) which can cause disease
Contagious
Easily spread from one person to another
Contaminated
An area or object with a lot of germs
Disinfecting
Using a bleach solution or another disinfectant to kill germs
Droplet
Contact with germs from an infected person when I cough or sneeze
Fungus
A single celled or multicellular germ (microorganisms) such as yeast and mold 
Germ
Tiny, microscopic living organisms such as bacteria, virus or fungus
Immune System
A collection of cells, chemical messengers, and proteins that work together to protect the body from pathogens
Immunizations
A medical treatment given to protect against a particular disease
Infection
Growth of harmful germs in the body
Infection Control
Stopping germs from spreading and causing infection
Infectious
Easily spread; capable of causing infection
Pathogen
Any germ causing disease
Virus
The smallest known living disease-producing organism
Blood borne pathogens (BBP)
Disease-causing germs that spread through contact with blood
Hepatitis B (HBV)
A viral infection of the liver
Hepatitis C (HCV)
A viral infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis c virus (HCV); causes chronic inflammation with possible scarring and may cause permanent liver damage
Transmitted
The process of passing from one person or place to another
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
The virus that causes AIDS
Acquired Immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
Disease that attacks the immune system, preventing the body from fighting infection
Opportunistic Diseases and Infections
Diseases associated with HIV and AIDS that can only occur when the immune system has been weakened
Standard Precautions
Accepted practices used to prevent pathogens being spread through the blood, body fluids, non-intact skin or mucous membranes
Aging
Aging is the physical and mental process of growing old
Body Mechanics
A way of lifting to prevent injury
Disorder
An abnormal physical or mental condition
Human Development
How people develop through the aging process that begins at birth and ends at death
Positioning
How a consumer is properly placed when sitting or lying down
Posture
Position or attitude of the body
Proper Body Alignment
Correct positioning of the body, which is also the arraignment
of the body in a straight line
Ambulation
The process of walking or moving about
Assistive devices
Equipment that helps a person perform a task and maintain or regain independence
Immobile
Unable to move
Locomotion
How someone moves
Mobility
The ability to walk and move about
Non-ambulatory
Cannot walk
Transfers
Moving a person from one place to another example: bed to wheelchair
Transfer belt (gait belt)
A belt worn around the consumer’s waist to aid in transfers and walking
Transfer board
A flat board that enables a person to slide from one level surface to another
Bedpan
A pan to collect urine or feces while confined to a bed
Colostomy
An opening on the surface of the abdomen where the bowel is opened and redirected to the outside of the body
Perennial care (Peri care)
The cleansing of the genital and anal areas of the body
Urethra
The canal through which the urine is discharged from the bladder and semen is discharged in males
Urinary catheter
A tube inserted into the bladder to drain urine
Urinary Incontinence
Inability to control bladder function
Body care
Hoping the consumer with exercises skin care (including application of non-prescribed appointments or lotions) and changing dry bandages
Mouth care
Cleaning of the teeth, gums, and tongue
Personal hygiene
Cleaning and grooming other person including hair, teeth, dentures, shaving, and filing nails
Positioning
How Consumers appropriately placed when sitting or lying down
Repositioning
Changing our consumer is sitting or lying by changing his or her position and either a bed or chair; Repositioning creates proper body alignment and keeps consumers off pressure points
Pressure Ulcer
Skin breakdown or injury caused by pressure or friction that damages the skin and underlying muscles
Range of motion (ROM)
How much a joint can move
Skin breakdown
Any redness, damage or break in the skin creating a risk of infection and further injury
Cuticle
The layer of dead or hard skin around the base of a fingernail or toenail that protects against infection
Emery board
A piece of cardboard covered with a rough material and use for smoothing and shaping nails
Knee-high elastic stockings
A knee high elastic stocking is worn to help with circulation or control swelling in the foot or leg
Orangewood stick
A thin, stick, usually Orangewood, with pointed and rounded ends for cleaning under nails
Allergy
High sensitivity and reaction to certain substances (certain foods, pollen, bee stings)
Bacteria
Microscopic organisms (germs) which can cause diseases
Complex Carbohydrates
Substances that break down slowly in the body and help maintain a constant blood sugar level; found in whole grains, starchy vegetables, and dried beans
Cross contamination
When germs from raw contaminated food get into other food that are not cooked or reheated before they are eaten
Dehydration
Not enough fluid in the body
Dysphasia
Difficulty with swallowing
Foodborne illness
An illness caused by eating contaminated food
Hepatitis A virus (HAV)
If either infection of the liver cost by hepatitis A; Usually by contaminated food or water, little or no symptoms, not blood-borne
 Nutrients
Any substance, plants or animals need to live and grow
Protein
Substance that builds, maintains and replaces tissues in the body; muscles, organs, immune system are made up of mostly proteins; meat, poultry, fish, nuts, eggs, beans and soy contain proteins
Saturated Fats
Fatty substances that raise cholesterol and increase risk of heart disease “BAD FATS”
Simple Sugars
Substances that are quickly absorbed into the body, causing blood sugar levels to rise and then dip too fast; found in candy and soda pop
Temperature Danger Zone
A zone of temperature where germs grow quickly when potentially hazardous food is kept at those temperatures also called the DANGER ZONE
Trans Fats
Fatty substances found in margarine, snack foods, and baked goods; also called “trans fatty acids” and created when hydrogen is added to the oil, causing it to become solid at room temperature, a type of “BAD FAT”
Unsaturated Fats
Fatty substance found in plant foods and fish; seen as neutral, or even beneficial, to heart and health; also called “GOOD FATS”
Drug Interaction
An interaction between a drug and another substance usually resulting in undesirable side effects and that prevents the drug from performing as expected
Enabler
Anything that helps a Consumer take his or her own medication
Medication
A chemical substance used to treat a condition or illness
Medication Route
The way medication is taken such as oral, topical, rectal, vaginal, inhaled, injected
Nurse Delegation
When a RN delegates nursing tasks to qualified NACs or NARs
Side Effects
A secondary and usually undesirable side effect of a drug or therapy
Burnout
A state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion
Grief
A reaction to loss
Loss
The disappearance of something cherished or loved
Stress
Any situation or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry or anxious
Arthritis
A chronic condition that causes pain in the joints
Autism
A disease of the brain which may severely impair language ability or the ability to relate to other people
Autism Spectrum Disorder
A complex developmental disorder that normally appears in the first three years of life, affects the brain average development and results in a wide range of behaviors
Cerebral palsy
A condition because damage in the developing brain that affects movement, posture, speech. Mat appear at birth, or in the first few years of life and generally does not worsen
Chromosome 
The part of a cell that contains the genes that control how an animal or plant grows and what it becomes
Concussion
A common traumatic brain injury, usually caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head
Contractures
When a muscle tissue becomes shortened because of spasms or paralysis, either temporary or permanent
Development Disabilities
A condition beginning before age 18 that is expected to last a person’s lifetime and substantially limits them in some areas: self-care, learning, communication, mobility, self direction, examples: Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism
Down Syndrome
A congenital condition caused by chromosomal abnormality where an extra chromosome affects the development of the brain and body
Fragile X Syndrome
Caused by a mutation of a gene. Prevents the creation of protein that inhibits proper connections in the brain
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Conditions that occur when a mother drinks alcohol during pregnancy
Hearing loss or Impairment
Loss of sound, deafness
Inflammation
The body’s reaction to injury or infection. Symptoms include redness, pain, and/or swelling of an area
Intellectual Disability
A condition usually diagnosed before age 18 that causes below average reasoning and thinking skills
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
A long lasting, unpredictable and progressive disease of the central nervous system that attacks and destroys tissues of the brain, optic nerve, spinal cord. Symptoms include numbness, impairment of speech, muscular coordination, blurred vision and severe fatigue
Physical Disability
Temporary or permanent condition that greatly limits movement and the ability to perform ADLs; from illness or injury
Relapse
The reappearance of symptoms after a period of remission
Remission
In MS, a remission is a period of recovery time where symptoms improve
Skull Fracture
A break in one or more of the 8 bones that form the skull; considered a closed head injury
Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)
Damage or trauma to the spinal cord that results in lost or impaired function and causes reduced mobility and feeling
