Heat Illnesses
syncope (sudden dizziness - rest in a cool place with your feet up and drink fluids with electrolytes)
heat cramps (tightening and/or spasming muscles - body temp and pulse usually stay normal and skin may feel moist and cool - stop and rest in shade or cool building, drink fluids with electrolytes)
heat edema (swelling in ankles and heat when hot - put legs up to reduce swelling)
heat rash (skin irritation from heavy sweating - red clusters of small blisters that look similar to pimples. skin may feel prickly/tingly - keep area dry, stay in cool area)
Bonus: caffeinated beverages, alcohol
Usually comes on slowly and lasts a long time, but may come on quickly and be due to a serious illness.
What are symptoms of heat intolerance?
Bonus: What makes heat intolerance worse?
Does it come on quickly or slowly?
Using proper posture and movement to avoid injury is body mechanics. These are the principles of body mechanics:
What are:
Keep a wide base of support
Bend at the hips and knees, not at the waist
Keep objects close to your body when lifting
Avoid twisting your spine
Use your leg muscles for lifting
What are:
•Leg muscles (quads, hamstrings, glutes) are large, powerful muscle groups built for heavy work.
•Your back muscles (especially in your lower back) are much smaller
•Using your legs, reduces the strain on your spine and risk for injury
Reasons why mental health may shift
What are: isolation, loss, illness, dementia
Involves knowing the potential emergencies that can happen in a person’s area and knowing the specific needs and vulnerabilities of our clients
What is emergency preparedness
It includes steps taken to reduce risks before, during, and after an emergency.
A sudden dizziness that can happen when a person is active in hot weather
What is Syncope
Reasons why having a wider base of support is important
What are:
Lowers your center of gravity and it allows you to be more stable, especially when picking up and holding objects.
Reasons to push, don't pull
What are:
•Pushing allows you to use your body weight and keep better balance
•It keeps your spine straighter and you can engage your large muscle groups (legs, chest, shoulders) vs when you pull you often rely on your back and arms.
•Pushing also allows you to have better visibility for your path
What are:
•Mood Changes: Sadness, anger, irritability
•Behavior Changes: Withdrawing, refusing care, pacing
•Sleep Issues: Sleeping too much or not at all
•Physical Symptoms: Aches, lack of energy
•Increased confusion or agitation
•Talking about death or giving things away (Urgent)
Steps of emergency preparedness
•Identify any disability, chronic conditions, and allergies
•Determine what would be needed during an emergency for identified needs and vulnerabilities
•Make 1 plan for staying at home and 1 plan for evacuation
Occurs when a person's body does not have as much water and fluids as it needs. Person can become hydrated if they lose too much fluid, don't drink enough water or fluids, or both.
Risk factors:
sweating too much (like exercising in hot weather causing too much sweating/loss of fluids)
fever
vomiting/diarrhea
too much urinating (uncontrolled diabetes or dieuretic meds can cause this - so can internal cystitis)
Dehydration
Reasons to bend at the hips and knees, not at the waist
What are:
•Protects your back: keep your spine in a straight (neutral) position
•Your leg muscles are much stronger than your lower back muscles
•Wide base of support with bent knees, lowers your center of gravity and provides more stability
•Distributes the weight safely
Reason using body mechanics is important
What is: Forces on your spine increase significantly if you lift the wrong way
Your role in helping your clients regarding mental health changes
What are:
•You are often the first to notice changes in clients
•Report concerning behaviors or comments to Angie
•Build trust through daily interactions
•Show empathy and respect: Clients may open up to you before anyone else
Steps to take in a thunder/lightning storm
What are:
•Stay indoors during a storm, away from windows
•If outside, avoid anything metal and natural lightning rods (tall tree in open area)
•Avoid tubs/faucets/sinks and metal pipes as they conduct electricity
•Avoid using corded phones
•Soles of shoes or tires will NOT provide protection from lightening
A heat related medical emergency.
Heat exhaustion is a warning your body can no longer keep itself cool. You might feel thirsty, dizzy, weak, uncoordinated, and nauseated. May sweat and/or skin may feel cold and clammy. Internal body temp stays the same but your heart has a rapid pulse.
Can lead to HEAT STROKE: emergency in which the body's temperature rises above 104 degrees. A severe form of hyperthermia. Seek immediate medical attention.
Signs: fainting, confusion and/or acting strangely, not sweating even when it's hot, dry flushed skin, strong rapid pulse or a slow weak pulse. Seek medical attention IMMEDIATELY. Move to a cooler place if possible, even under shade, actively lower body temperature with use of cool cloths to the wrists, neck, armpits, and groin - blood passes close to the surface of the skin, so this will help cool the blood down, cool bath or shower, and fans.
What are heat exhaustion and stroke?
Have you ever had it?
Reasons to keep objects close to you
What are:
•The farther an object is from your body, the more force your back muscle must use to hold and lift it
•Keeping the load close to your center of gravity helps you stay steady and avoid falls
•When objects are close, you are less likely to reach or twist awkwardly
•Saves energy
Think back to a shopping trip for a client - what were the types of things that we should think twice about getting for a client, or at the very least, ensure we are using proper body mechanics for?
What are:
In regards to body mechanics, large cases of bottled water, large 18-24pk cases of soda, a heavy bag of dog food/cat food...what else can you think of?
Things you can do to help your client during crisis
•Before you approach- check your own mindset
•Approach- Use “I” statements, let them know that they can talk to you
•Listen without judgment
•Give the client your full attention
•Listen without interrupting, judging, or minimizing their feelings
•Give reassurance
•That you hear them, that they are not alone and there are options for help
•Report any concerning changes or statements
•Encourage engagement in activities or routine
•Support them in using healthy coping skills
In this emergency, you want to find a safe place within the home – the lowest room, furthest away from exterior walls is best, such as a closet
What is a tornado
Factors that can lead to the increase in dehydration
Hot living quarters, overdressing, hot humid days, air pollution warning in effect.
Age related changes to the skin like poor blood circulation & inefficient sweat glands (decrease in ability to sweat
Diabetes
Heart, kidney, or lung disease, Cystic fibrosis, Graves disease, Multiple Sclerosis, obesity, too much thyroid hormone, and any illness that causes general weakness and fever
Certain meds (ie: beta blocker - heart medication) - high blood pressure may require changes in diet, such as salt-restricted diets
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, especially hypermobility type - ask me why!
Reasons to avoid twisting your spine
What are:
•Rotating while holding objects forces small back muscles to work in ways they were not designed to.
•This increases the risk of pulls or tears
•Twisting shifts your weight unexpectedly which can increase your risk of falls
•Pivot with your feet and not with your spine
Trick question - it applies to emergency preparedness and mental health:
Reasons self-care is important
Keep burnout at bay - you're constantly giving to others, without intentional self-care, your well can run dry
Manage Emotional Challenges - you may be exposed to some difficult situations. Self-care is your toolkit for handling those emotions - yours and your client's
Protect your own well-being - be aware of your personal vulnerabilities - sometimes traumatic stories can lead to you re-experiencing distress
Sustain your impact - you have this job because you care and you want to make a difference. By consistently caring for yourself, you ensure you have the capacity to provide consistent, empathetic support to your clients over time
You can't pour from an empty cup!
Purposeful actions to help de-escalate a situation
What are:
Remain calm - demonstrate/narrate being purposefully calm, statement like "I'm going to take a deep breath now and let it out slowly"
Change the setting - remove people from the area - parties to the conflict and onlookers
Respect personal space - maintain a safe distance and avoid touching the other person
Listen - give your full attention, nod and ask clarifying questions, avoid changing the subject or interrupting
Empathize - present genuine concern and a willingness to understand without judging
Steps you should take to prepare for a flood
What are:
•Move to higher ground
•Turn off utilities and unplug electrical appliances
•Move important items upstairs
•Fill your bathtub with water
•Never attempt to drive through a flooded area. It takes only a small amount of water to carry away most vehicles
•Six inches of moving water can sweep you off your feet
•Be ready to evacuate!
* Follow agency emergency preparedness plan:
Contact scheduled clients to make appropriate arrangements for patients in need of urgent care/services. Clients are given a priority status if they may face grave risks in the absence of our care. If our lines are down, tune into WDEV 550 AM or 96.1 FM for info regarding CVHHH services.
Even if you are not with your client at the time of the disaster, if you have helped them plan, the outcome will be much better!
Share this CDC video on preparedness for all: Emergency Planning For People with Disabilities: