What Are The Duties and Responsibilities of a Disability Support Worker?

Any medical-related support is critical; it's not only about the medical information and use of medicines but also about the carer's compassion towards their patients. When we talk about disabled care, it is not only about the physical challenges. It is also about addressing emotional and psychological support. Hence, the role of the carers is more crucial when it comes to understanding their duties and responsibilities towards their patients. In this blog, we will explain the duties and responsibilities of disability support workers and how they impact their work as they provide services to their patients.

Skills and qualities of disability support worker

Along with professional certification, proper training, and experience, one should look for many more qualities and skills when hiring a support worker. Here are the key attributes one should look for -

1) Empathy - The support worker should be able to form a good bond with the patient and also should be able to understand the feelings and challenges that the individual is going through.

2) Patience—The disabled person might experience mood swings throughout the day or have difficult times during the service. Therefore, while caring for people with disabilities, the carer must be patient and handle situations calmly.

3) Organizational skills—In addition to caring for the individual, the carer must manage the patient's paperwork, household chores, and other duties. Therefore, the support worker must have good organizational skills.

4) Communication skills—Communication is key when it comes to taking care of any patient. It will help you bond with the individual and speak clearly about the impact of do's and don'ts.

5) Passion for learning—Every individual is different, and so are their needs and expectations. Therefore, the carer must not follow the rules of the book. They must learn and adapt according to the patient's needs, be eager to learn new things and have new experiences with every patient.

Duties and responsibilities of the disabled support worker.

The duty of a disabled support worker is not easy; it is rather more demanding. They are supposed to connect with the individual emotionally, look after their physical and mental health, and make them feel empowered and independent as they are accepted by society.

1) Mobility - As disabled people are entirely dependent on other people, by boosting their confidence, they can move people with disabilities to multiple places, like taking them out for groceries, going to the beach, or even parking for a walk or dinner.

2) Personal care support—from giving them baths to grooming them, preparing meals, arranging their living space, and even grocery shopping. A support worker is there to handle even their paperwork to give them a sense of relief and less stress.

3) Emotional and psychological support— The carer and patient begin to understand each other's feelings and emotions as they bond. Therefore, the carer can help boost the emotional and mental health of the special needs individual.

4) Handling medical assistance—As they look after the individuals, they would know their medical history, what medicines they would require, and what checkups/follow-ups they would require. So they can book appointments, monitor medicine routines on time, and prepare for follow-ups.

5) Ensuring a safe environment—Disabled individuals are dependent on their carer. Therefore, they will help to ensure that if there is any medical emergency, they address it; if there is any environmental hazard putting their patient in danger, then they can make an informed decision and follow proper protocols to keep them safe.

6) Educating family and friends—A good support worker must inform and educate family members and friends about right and wrong while caring for the disabled individual, as this might impact the person's emotions and bring more challenges.

NDIS And Disability support worker

Every support worker must adhere to a code of conduct to ensure that the patients are cared for effectively. This will help them ensure that they respect the person's right to freedom of expression, decision-making by relevant laws, respect their privacy, and more.

Want to become a disabled support worker?

If you are passionate about taking care of disabled people, do you think you have what it takes to care for special needs people correctly? Then, you can join the support worker platform and register as a carer for special needs people. Create a profile, add your qualifications and experience, and someone will contact you soon.

Final Thought -

Disabled individuals need more than just physical care. They require emotional connection to bond, someone who can understand their challenges and feelings, what they are going through, help them stand in society, make them independent, and take them around. This is something a personal disabled support worker can help you with. With the compassion of taking care, they can address all the care they need.