1/20/2025 8:26:28 PM	ADED 737.1 Course Outline as of Summer 2025	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  ADED 737.1	Title:  PERSONAL CARE 1: BASIC
Full Title:  Personal Care Attendant 1: Basic Care
Last Reviewed:11/26/2018

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	0	Lecture Scheduled	0		8 max.	Lecture Scheduled	0
Minimum	0	Lab Scheduled	6.00		4 min.	Lab Scheduled	48.00
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	6.00			Contact Total	48.00
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  0.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 48.00

Title 5 Category:  Non-Credit
Grading:  Non-Credit Course
Repeatability:  27 - Exempt From Repeat Provisions
Also Listed As: 
Formerly:  ADLTED 737.1

Catalog Description:

Introduction to entry-level Personal Care Attendant skills, including non-medically directed personal care and home management activities. Emphasis is on understanding and working with older patients, caregiver ethics and skills, home safety, physical movement, communication, nutrition, medical guidelines, elder and dependent adult abuse, and workforce preparation.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

Introduction to entry-level Personal Care Attendant skills, including non-medically directed personal care and home management activities. Emphasis is on understanding and working with older patients, caregiver ethics and skills, home safety, physical movement, communication, nutrition, medical guidelines, elder and dependent adult abuse, and workforce preparation.

(Non-Credit Course)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:
Repeatability:27 - Exempt From Repeat Provisions

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Certificate Applicable Course

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1.  Explain and discuss basic human physiology and health concepts applicable to the work of a

    personal care attendant.

2.  Model appropriate administrative duties of personal caregiving, including respecting patient

    privacy.

3.  Apply appropriate psychological concepts to duties of personal caregiving.

4.  Explain and discuss HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), and

    caregiver legal rights and responsibilities.

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Explain the importance of cleanliness and infection control in promoting wellness and

    preventing disease in humans at the individual and the environment levels

2. Analyze dietary selections based on nutritional suggestions and food labels

3. Demonstrate proper techniques in acquisition of client vital signs and analyze vital signs based

    on physiological norms and risks

4. Explain the application of medication guidelines to client health

5. Apply the concepts of movement and exercise to common client concerns, including

    depression, falling, and muscular-skeletal health

6. Describe the differences between the physiology of aging and dying human bodies from

    human bodies in prime health years

7. Prepare clear and relevant documentation in response to case studies

8. Comply with a Personal Care Plan using appropriate modeled behavior, and apply Person

    Care Checklist and observation records to observation and charting

9. Evaluate case studies on the topic of adult/elder abuse, and select appropriate actions in

    response to such abuse

10. Explain the stages of grief

11. Explain the challenges specific to caregivers, clients, and family members of persons with

    dementia

12. Model verbal and nonverbal behavior that supports effective speaking and listening

Topics and Scope

I. Introduction to Caregiving

    A. The role of the personal care attendant as a member of the health care team

    B. Patient rights HIPAA

    C. Professional demeanor

    D. The role of ethics in care giving

 

II. Home Safety and Infection Control

    A. Assessment

    B. Infection control

    C. Handwashing

 

III. Skin Care and Cleanliness

    A. Bathing

    B. Hair care, nail care, and shaving

    C. Oral care

    D. Bedsores/pressure ulcers

         1. Common sites

         2. Stages of skin breakdown

         3. Prevention

 

IV. Understanding and Working with Older Patients

    A. Basic body structure--body systems and organs

    B. Death and dying

    C. Stages of grief

    D. Hospice

    E. Post-mortem care

    F. Psychological aspects of aging

 

V. Nutrition

    A. Nutrition basics

    B. Reading food labels

    C. Special diets

    D. Guidelines for feeding/serving the elderly

    E. Dehydration

    F. Safe swallowing

    G. Buying and storing food

 

VI. Caregiver Skills

    A. Vital signs--temperature

    B. Vital signs--pulse

    C. Vital signs--respiration

    D. Vital signs--blood pressure

 

VII. Medication Guidelines

    A. The role of the pharmacist

    B. Safety guidelines for medication

    C. Communicating about medications

    D. Fostering independence

    E. Daily medication schedule

    F. Emergency phone numbers

 

VIII. Physical Movement--Part One

    A. Body mechanics

         1. Lifting options

         2. Pushing, pulling, and carrying

    B. Proper sitting and standing posture

    C. Bed mobility

    D. Correct use of wheelchair, walker, and cane

 

IX. Physical Movement--Part Two

    A. Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

    B. Depression and arthritis pain

    C. Benefits of exercise

    D. Fall prevention

 

X. Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease

    A. Overview of dementia

    B. Alzheimer's disease and its challenges

 

XI. Communication--Part One

    A. Verbal and non-verbal messages

    B. Effective speaking and listening skills

    C. Communication variables

    D. Changes that affect communication

         1. Normal changes

         2. Age and disease-related changes

 

XII. Communication--Part Two

    A. The importance of written documentation

    B. Correctly following a personal care plan

    C. Correctly using a personal care checklist and observation record

         1. Appearance, Behavior, Communication (ABC) of observation

         2. Rules and principles for charting

 

XIII. Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse

  A. Definition

  B. Types of abuse

  C. Signs of abuse

  D. Reporting abuse and mandated reporters

 

XIV. Caring for the Caregiver

  A. Signs that indicate need to pay attention to self

  B. Identifying the needs of the caregiver and finding successful ways to meet them

  C. Wage theft and overtime protections in the law

  D. Domestic Workers Bill of Rights

Assignments:

1. In-class practice exercises and communication activities (20 to 24)

2. Role-playing in pairs and groups (20 to 24)

3. Charting Exercises (3 to 5)

4. Exercise practice demonstrations (3 to 5)

5. Nutritional labels reading exercises (3 to 5)

6. Quiz--Patient rights and professional ethics

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 10 - 10%
Charting exercises
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 5 - 10%
Nutritional labels reading exercises
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 40 - 45%
Roleplaying; exercise demonstrations; practice exercises
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 10 - 10%
Quiz
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 30 - 30%
Active participation and attendance

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Instructor prepared materials

Providing Home Care. 4th ed. Leahy, William and Fuzy, Jetta and Grafe, Julie. Hartman. 2013 (classic)

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