Personal Support Worker

Helping Clients Make the Most of Summer After PSW College

June 14, 2019

Shot of a happy elderly woman walking with her nurse around the garden

Summer is finally here, which means opportunities abound for enjoying the warm weather. When you work as a personal support worker (PSW), summer offers numerous chances to improve the quality of life of your clients.

Helping your clients make the most of summer is good for their physical and mental wellbeing. It gets them out of the house, keeps them active, and reduces isolation. With that in mind, here are a few ways you can help your client enjoy the summer months.

Gardening Is a Relaxing Activity for Clients with Green Thumbs

Planting and caring for a garden is an excellent way for clients to spend time outside and relax. Gardening provides more than just an enjoyable pastime, however. One South Korean study found that gardening had a positive effect on cognitive function in seniors. Specifically, the study found that gardening had the potential to improve memory function. In fact, gardening therapy is often used by people who have dementia.

Senior woman with flowers in garden

Gardening has numerous physical and mental health benefits for seniors

The extent of your client’s participation in gardening will depend on their physical and mental capabilities. Some clients will require little to no assistance to maintain a garden, while some may need your help for more difficult tasks. Others may enjoy simply being in a garden and surrounded by flowers. You’ll learn about cognitive impairment and mental health issues in your PSW courses, which will give you a better idea of what role your client can play in gardening.

Walking Is a Great Way to Help Clients Stay Active and Healthy

One of the simplest ways to enjoy the nice weather is by walking. Going for a leisurely stroll helps clients exercise and get vitamin D. Walking has numerous benefits for elderly clients, including improving cardiovascular health, burning calories, and reducing the risk of developing a physical disability. Furthermore, it is good for clients’ mental health and overall wellbeing as it helps get them out of the house.

Even clients with mobility issues, including those who use wheelchairs, can benefit from short excursions outside. Just going around the block allows them to be outdoors, which helps reduce their risk of isolation. Of course, make sure they stay well-hydrated and use sunscreen to stay safe outside.

Picnics Are a Great Opportunity to Put Your PSW College Skills to Use

In personal support worker school you’ll learn about meal preparation, nutrition, and hydration. A picnic is a great way to put all of these skills to use. It can help your client enjoy physical exercise, healthy eating, and spending quality time outdoors.

As with walking, the type of picnic your client can participate in will depend on their physical and mental condition. Some clients may be overjoyed, for example, to go on a picnic at a park while surrounded by nature. For others, however, venturing too far from home or their long-term care facility is impractical. In such a case, you can bring the picnic to them. For example, if the facility they are living in has a yard or an outdoor grassy area, those places could provide a safe and comfortable area to host a picnic.

Happy family enjoying in park on sunny a day

A picnic is a great way for clients to get outside

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