Washing your hands by using the correct procedure before preparing food for your clients is very important. Failure to do so could put their health at risk. As a care worker you may see several different clients and/or do different tasks such as cleaning and bathing. This dramatically increases the chances of you carrying bacteria on your hands.
When preparing food for a client, the caregiver should clean their fingernails and contain their hair. Wear disposable gloves to reduce contamination and cover broken skin areas.
Remember to wash your hands before applying and after removing gloves. It is important to use soap when washing your hands.
Prepackaged salads and other vegetables that are not cooked before eating are considered to be a current leading source of foodborne illness. You should never serve salad greens or raw vegetables unless you have washed them. Please follow the guidelines outlined below to protect the health of your clients:
It is not a safe practice to thaw meat, poultry or fish on the kitchen counter. This is because bacteria can multiply rapidly at room temperature.
There are three safe methods to thaw frozen meat:
At room temperature, bacteria in food can double every 20 minutes. Refrigerated leftovers need to be thrown out after a period of three days.
MEAT - Store fresh or thawed raw meat, poultry and fish in the refrigerator. Store cooked meat or poultry products in the freezer, if you want to keep them longer than a few days.
CANNED FOODS - If a commercially canned food shows any sign of spoilage: bulging can, leakage, spurting liquid, off-odor or mold, throw it out. Do not taste it.
TWO HOUR RULE - discard (throw away) any perishable foods left at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. If you are ever in doubt about whether food is safe to cook for a client, don’t take the risk. Throw it away!
A care worker will regularly encounter clients who have special dietary requirements that require them to limit or avoid certain foods. The most important thing for a care worker to do in a situation like this is to pay close attention to the labels of any food which you are preparing for a client. You must never serve food to a client to which they are allergic, you would make your agency liable for any damages that the food may cause the client. They could also potentially face a lawsuit. Always pay close attention to the food labels when you are cooking food for a client who has special dietary requirements.
Here are a list of common dietary requirements that you are likely to encounter:
There have been many changes recently in diabetic diets. Current diabetic management includes counting carbohydrates.
Concentrated sugars can be eaten as long as the portion size and frequency are limited. Specific dietary guidelines should be obtained from the client’s physician.
A renal diet is for people with reduced kidney function. Generally the person needs to limit foods high in protein, salt and potassium. These foods include: meat, whole grains, milk and cheese. Salt substitutes are used with caution, since they are generally high in potassium. Clients on dialysis will also have to limit their fluid intake.
A gluten-free diet is for people who have Celiac disease - an intestinal disorder, or wheat allergy. The person is not able to have any food with wheat, barley or rye in it. They may be able to have rice, corn or potatoes.
Note: some foods use wheat as a thickener. Read the list of ingredients on the labels to avoid the ingredients that are not allowed.
A lactose intolerant diet is for people who have difficulty digesting lactose - a sugar found in milk and milk products. As people age, lactose intolerance may increase. Symptoms can include: stomach pain, gas, nausea and diarrhea. People can avoid milk and milk products, but they should increase their dietary intake of foods high in calcium, such as fish with soft bones (salmon and sardines) and dark green vegetables, such as spinach.
Carers need an understanding of the ailments and illnesses that they may encounter, how to treat them, and how to prevent their spread. Preventing the spread of disease depends on how the disease is transmitted and the source of the infection. Bloodborne pathogens are disease-causing microorganisms present in human blood or other potentially infectious material, such as saliva or other fluids. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a life-threatening pathogen. Almost 8,700 health care workers each year contract hepatitis B, and about 200 will die as a result. Hepatitis C is a liver disease, caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV), found in the blood of persons infected with this disease. It is not always a fatal disease.
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which diminishes the body’s ability to fight disease. Good nutrition is important in the care of ill and frail persons. It speeds up healing, recovery from illnesses, and helps maintain the health and well being of the individual. An adequate volume of water intake is the most important of the daily dietary requirements. Dry skin, dark or concentrated urine and less sweating are signs of dehydration. Standard client rights states that each client has the choice of which foods to eat and when they will be eaten.
As a care worker, you should be aware of the range of cultural and religious issues that can influence the foods that people in care may eat or avoid. Foodborne illness (or food poisoning) is transmitted to people through food or beverages. The bacteria in unsafe food are hard to detect. Often the individual cannot see, smell or taste the bacteria and it may take up to six weeks to cause illness. Washing your hands by using the correct procedure before preparing food is very important. Failure to do so could put your clients' health at risk.
Prepackaged salads and other vegetables that are not cooked before eating are considered to be a current leading source of foodborne illness. It is NOT a safe practice to thaw meat, poultry or fish on the kitchen counter. This is because bacteria can multiply rapidly at room temperature. At room temperature, bacteria in food can double every 20 minutes. Refrigerated food leftovers should be thrown out after three days.