Person-Centered Daily Care: Dignity in Bathing, Eating and Toileting
Bring dignity, choice and safety to everyday care: bathing, dressing, mealtimes, safe swallowing, toileting and mouth care.
ForNursing home, Home health, Hospice staff
TimeAbout 70 minutes
Lessons8, each with a quick check
FinishA quiz (80% to pass) and a printable certificate of completion
What you will learn
Explain person-centered care in plain words.
Help people keep the abilities they have.
Honor each person's bathing choices.
Help people wear their own clothes, their own way.
Help with meals in a way that protects dignity.
Know the signs of a swallowing problem.
Answer requests for toilet help quickly.
Give gentle, thorough mouth and denture care.
Written by Pact Compliance from federal rules and CDC, CMS, OSHA and NIH guidance (sources under each lesson), checked October 2026. Where your facility's policy is different, follow your facility's policy.
Lesson 1: Person-Centered Care in Everyday Tasks
In this lesson you will:
Explain person-centered care in plain words.
Name the daily activities you help with.
Put the person ahead of the task list.
The person leads
Their choices
Federal rules for nursing homes define person-centered care. They say the resident is the locus of control. That is a fancy way to say the person is in charge. You support them in making their own choices and having control over their daily lives. The same idea guides home health and hospice. Patients there have the right to take part in planning their care, and the right to say no to care.
Daily living
ADLs
Activities of daily living are called ADLs. The nursing home rule lists them. Hygiene means bathing, dressing, grooming, and mouth care. Mobility means moving from bed to chair, and walking. Elimination means using the toilet. Dining means eating meals and snacks. And communication means speech, language, and other ways a person makes their needs known. Home health and hospice aide training covers these same kinds of tasks.
Quality of life
In every task
The rule calls quality of life a basic principle. It applies to all care. CMS says every staff member, on every shift, must honor each resident's choices, values, and beliefs. Quality of life includes a sense of self-worth. It includes control over things like mealtimes, clothes, and bedtime. A bath, a meal, or a trip to the toilet can build that sense of worth up. Or it can tear it down.
Show the answer
Asking Mrs. Hale if she wants her shower before or after breakfast. Person-centered care supports the person in making their own choices about daily life.
Task or person?
Slow down
It is easy to think in tasks. Room 12 needs a shower. Room 14 needs a brief change. But each task is a real person with a long life story. CMS warns against treating a person as an object. It also warns against talking over a person to a coworker, as if they were not there. So say their name. Tell them what you will do. Talk with them, not around them.
Know their ways
Ask and learn
How do you learn what someone wants? Ask them. Ask the family too, if the person wants that. Read the care plan or your aide care instructions. CMS checks whether staff know each resident's needs and wishes. It also checks whether staff try to learn the wishes of people who can't speak for themselves. Watch faces and body language. Notice what calms a person and what upsets them. Share what you learn with your nurse.
Follow the plan
Speak up
The care plan is your guide. In home health and hospice, a nurse assigns you and writes your care instructions. You give the care those instructions list. What if a person's wishes don't match the plan? Don't ignore the plan, and don't force the person. Tell your nurse. Patients have the right to help change their plan of care. The plan can change as the person changes.
On your shift
Small choices
Mr. Lane likes his coffee before he gets dressed. He likes the radio on during care. These are small things. But when you do them his way, he feels like himself. Last week a new aide rushed him through his routine. He got quiet and stiff, and he barely ate. Same tasks. Very different day. Person-centered care lives in small choices like these.
Quick review
Person first
Let's review. Person-centered care means the person is in charge of their own daily life. ADLs include bathing, dressing, grooming, mouth care, moving, toileting, eating, and communication. Quality of life is part of every task. Learn each person's wishes, talk with them, and follow the care plan. When wishes and the plan don't match, tell your nurse.
Lesson 2: Ask, Offer Choices, and Do With, Not For
In this lesson you will:
Help people keep the abilities they have.
Ask first and offer simple choices.
Respond to a refusal and report it.
Keep abilities
Use them
The nursing home rule says a resident's ability to do daily tasks should not decline. A decline is allowed only when the person's condition shows it could not be avoided. The facility must give care that keeps or improves those abilities. CMS says a diagnosis alone does not explain a decline. Your daily care is a big part of this. Every time you help, you can help a person keep a skill, or help them lose it.
Do with, not for
Give time
Doing a task for someone is often faster. But NIA says the goal is balance. Let the person be as independent as they can be, and give support when they need it. If a person can wash their face, hand them the washcloth. If they can do one button, let them do it. Wait. Give them time. Help only with the part they can't do.
Ask first
Explain each step
Before you touch someone, ask. 'May I help you sit up?' Tell them each step before you do it. CMS checks whether staff explain to the resident what care is being given. Home health and hospice patients also have the right to be told about their care and to take part in it. Asking is respect. It also helps the person help you.
Show the answer
Set up his tray, cut what he asks you to, and let him keep eating at his pace. Doing the part he can't do, and letting him do the rest, helps him keep his skill.
Offer choices
Keep it simple
Choices give back control. Residents have the right to make choices about their schedules, and about things that matter to them. Offer simple choices. 'The blue shirt or the green one?' 'Shower now, or after lunch?' Two choices are easier than ten. NIA says that for a person with memory loss, fewer choices make things easier.
Hearing no
Find out why
Sometimes a person says no. They have the right to refuse care. Stay calm. Don't argue. Ask what is wrong. CMS lists reasons a resident may refuse a bath. They may want a shower instead, or a different time. They may feel sick, feel uneasy about the aide, or fear falling. Many of these can be fixed. CMS also says a person with dementia may be resisting how care is done, not the care itself.
Tell your nurse
Refusals matter
Always tell your nurse when someone refuses care. Tell them what the person said. CMS says refusals must be written in the record, along with the other choices that were offered. A pattern of refusals can point to a problem. CMS notes that depression can make a person do less than they are able to do. Pain can do that too. Your nurse needs to know.
Watch for decline
Report changes
You see each person's abilities every day. So you are often the first to notice a change. Maybe she used to feed herself, and now she drops her fork. Maybe he can't stand up to turn the way he could last week. Tell your nurse what you saw and when. Home health and hospice aides must report changes in the patient's condition to the nurse.
On your shift
Her own hair
Mrs. Rivera had a stroke. She can brush her hair with her left hand, but it takes her a long time. You are tempted to do it for her. Instead, you hand her the brush and get her clothes ready while she works. When she's done, you help with the back. She smiles in the mirror. 'I did most of that myself.'
Quick review
With, not for
Let's review. Help people keep the abilities they have. Do with, not for. Ask before you help, and explain each step. Offer simple choices. If someone says no, stay calm, ask why, and tell your nurse. Report any new loss of ability right away.
Lesson 3: Dignity, Privacy and Safety in the Bath or Shower
In this lesson you will:
Honor each person's bathing choices.
Protect privacy during bathing.
Prevent falls and burns, and never step away when the plan says stay.
Their bath
Their way
Bathing is one of the most private things we do. CMS says residents choose their bathing times and their bathing methods. CMS gives an example. If a resident refuses a bath because she would rather have a shower or a bed bath, or a different time or day, her choice must be met. It is also a problem to shower everyone when a resident would rather have a tub bath.
Uneasy or afraid
Listen
A person may also say no because they are uneasy about the aide, or worried about falling. Take that seriously. Some people want a caregiver of the same sex, for personal or religious reasons. In one CMS example, a resident's faith did not allow care from a man. She was showered by a male aide anyway. She cried until her family came. If you can't meet a request, tell your nurse.
Privacy
Cover and close
In nursing homes, privacy in personal care is a right. Home health and hospice aide training also covers respect for privacy. Close the door and the curtain. Keep the person covered as much as you can. NIA suggests a towel over the shoulders or lap, and washing under the towel. CMS describes harm when a resident was taken to the shower without her body fully covered.
Show the answer
Stay with her, keep her warm, and call for a coworker to bring towels. NIA says never leave a person with Alzheimer's alone in the tub or shower.
Get ready first
Stay close
Plan before you start. NIA suggests getting soap, washcloths, towels, shampoo, and a bath chair ready first. That way you never have to step away. Make sure the water temperature is comfortable. Check it before the water touches their skin. NIA says never leave a person with Alzheimer's alone in the tub or shower. Follow the care plan for how much help and supervision each person needs.
Prevent falls
Prevent burns
MedlinePlus says the bathroom is where falls most often happen at home. Use a non-slip mat in the tub, and a non-skid mat outside it. Have the person sit on a bath chair or bench in the shower. Keep the floor dry. Towel racks can't hold a person's weight, so they are not grab bars. To prevent burns, MedlinePlus says to set water heaters no higher than 120 degrees. In a home, tell your nurse if the bathroom looks unsafe.
Let them help
No photos
Let the person wash what they can. NIA says even holding the washcloth helps. Tell them each step before you do it. Go at their pace. Keep the room warm. A rushed, cold bath can feel scary. Keep your phone away. CMS describes staff who took and posted photos of residents in the shower. Residents became afraid to bathe. Never take photos or videos during care.
After the bath
Look and tell
NIA says to pat the skin dry, dry between skin folds, and check for rashes. Bathing is a good time to look at the skin. Tell your nurse about any redness, rash, sore, bruise, or swelling. Also tell your nurse if the person seemed dizzy, short of breath, or in pain. Aides must report changes in the body that they notice.
On your shift
A better bath
Mr. Nash always fights his morning shower. You ask him about it. He says he has taken a bath at night his whole life. Mornings feel rushed and cold. You tell your nurse, and his care plan changes to an evening tub bath. Now he looks forward to it. Nothing was wrong with him. The schedule was wrong for him.
Quick review
Safe and private
Let's review. Each person chooses how and when they bathe. Listen to the reasons behind a no, and tell your nurse. Keep the person covered, and close the door and curtain. Get supplies first, check the water, and stay as the care plan says. Use mats and a bath chair. Never take photos. After the bath, check the skin and report changes.
Your facility's policy (ask your supervisor):
Water temperature check method and any set maximum
Which residents/patients must not be left alone while bathing (how staff find this in the care plan)
How to get help in the shower room or bathroom (call light, pull cord, phone)
Help people wear their own clothes, their own way.
Respect culture, faith and personal style.
Keep people clean and groomed, with glasses, hearing aids and dentures in place.
Own clothes
Not gowns
CMS gives examples of treating residents with dignity. One is helping residents dress in their own clothes, not hospital-type gowns. Another is shoes or slippers that fit the time of day and the person's taste. Residents have the right to keep and use their own things, including clothes. Getting dressed tells the world, and the person, that this is a normal day in their life.
Their look
Their pride
CMS says control over clothing is part of quality of life. So ask. 'What would you like to wear today?' If too many choices are hard, hold up two outfits. Respect culture and faith. Some people cover their hair, arms, or legs. In one CMS example, staff left a resident's head scarf off and said it was missing. That hurt her deeply. Her scarf was part of who she was.
Labels
Out of sight
In a facility, clothes often need name labels so they come back from the laundry. CMS says to place labels where others can't see them, like inside shoes and clothing, or to use a color code. A name written in marker across the back of a shirt is not dignified. If a person's clothes go missing, tell your nurse. Their things matter.
Show the answer
Inside clothes and shoes, or a color code, so others can't see them. CMS says labels should be placed in a way that respects dignity.
Step by step
Let them help
Let the person do as much of the dressing as they can. NIA suggests laying out clothes in the order they go on, and handing one item at a time. NIA also suggests loose, comfortable clothes, and slip-on shoes or shoes with hook-and-loop straps. If a person has a weak arm or leg, follow the care plan. Your nurse or therapist can show you the best way to help.
Clean and neat
Every day
When a resident can't do their own care, the rule says they must get help to keep good grooming and personal hygiene. CMS points to clean faces, hands, teeth, fingernails, hair, and clothes. Home health and hospice aide training includes hair washing, and nail and skin care. Looking clean and neat helps a person feel like themselves.
Hair and shaving
Ask how
Grooming is personal. Ask how they like their hair. Ask if they want to shave, and how. Some people want makeup, jewelry, or a certain lotion every day. If they did it every morning at home, it probably still matters. Follow your care plan and policy on nail care. Some people need a nurse to trim their nails.
Glasses and aids
Teeth too
Communication is also a daily activity in the rule. Glasses, hearing aids, and dentures help a person see, hear, talk, and eat. Put them in as part of getting ready, if the person wants them. Keep them clean. CMS says staff should use a hearing device when a resident needs one. A person who can't see or hear can't take part in their own day.
On your shift
Sunday best
Mrs. Grant wore a dress and earrings to church every Sunday for sixty years. Now she can't do the clasps herself. On Sunday, you help her put on her blue dress and her pearl earrings. You brush her hair the way she shows you. At breakfast she sits up taller. Her daughter says, 'Mom looks like Mom.'
Quick review
Their style
Let's review. Help people wear their own clothes, not gowns, with the right shoes. Let them choose, and respect culture and faith. Keep labels out of sight. Let the person do what they can, one step at a time. Keep faces, hands, teeth, nails, hair, and clothes clean. Put in glasses, hearing aids, and dentures if the person wants them.
Your facility's policy (ask your supervisor):
Your clothing labeling method
Who trims fingernails and toenails (and for which residents or patients)
Dining is a daily activity in the rule, like bathing and dressing. Nursing homes must serve food that is nourishing, tastes good, and takes each resident's wishes into account. Home health and hospice aide training covers good nutrition and fluid intake. A meal is also a time to talk, to enjoy food, and to feel normal. How you help can make it a good part of the day.
Sit, don't stand
Eye level
CMS lists things to avoid at meals. One is staff standing over residents while helping them eat. So sit down next to the person. CMS says to get down to eye level with a resident who is sitting. Another thing to avoid is staff talking only with each other while they help residents eat. Talk with the person you are helping. Tell them what is on the plate.
Napkins, not bibs
Real dishes
CMS also says to avoid bibs or clothing protectors in place of napkins, unless the person chooses one. Offer a napkin first. If they want a clothing protector, that is their choice. Avoid paper plates and plastic forks every day. And never call people 'feeders.' CMS says to use the name the resident chooses, not a label.
Show the answer
Standing over a resident while helping her eat. CMS says to avoid staff standing over residents while assisting them to eat.
Their food
Other choices
Food must fit each person's allergies, needs, and tastes. If a resident doesn't want what is served, they should get an appealing choice that is just as healthy. Menus should reflect religious, cultural, and ethnic needs. Residents who want to eat at other times should get meals or snacks, as the care plan allows. If someone won't eat their tray, ask what they would like, and tell the kitchen or your nurse.
Their pace
Small bites
Let the person eat at their own pace. Don't rush. MedlinePlus gives tips to prevent choking. Eat slowly. Chew food well. Cut large pieces into small bites. Make sure dentures fit. Let them finish chewing and swallowing before the next bite. Offer drinks during the meal. If the person has a swallowing problem, follow their care plan exactly. The next lesson covers this.
Tools that help
Set them up
Some people can feed themselves with the right tools. The rule says nursing homes must provide special eating tools to people who need them, and help them use them. CMS gives examples: thick foam handles for a weak grip, plate guards for a shaky hand, and special cups. Set up the tray. Open containers. Cut food if they want. Then let them eat on their own.
Toilet at meals
Help right away
Sometimes a person asks to use the bathroom during a meal. CMS says refusing to help with the bathroom at mealtime is demeaning. Help them go, and keep their plate warm if you can. No one can enjoy a meal while they are waiting to use the toilet.
Eating less?
Tell your nurse
NIA says people with tooth or denture problems often avoid some foods. Taste and smell can change with age. Some medicines change taste or lower appetite. Feeling sad can cause a loss of appetite too. So if someone eats less, has trouble chewing, or stops enjoying meals, tell your nurse. Write down how much they ate, honestly.
Quick review
Sit and talk
Let's review. Sit at eye level, and talk with the person you are helping. Offer napkins, not bibs, unless they choose one. Use names, never labels. Honor food choices, and offer other options. Let people eat at their own pace, with the tools they need. Help with the toilet during meals. Report eating changes.
Lesson 6: Safe Eating: Swallowing Problems and Choking
In this lesson you will:
Know the signs of a swallowing problem.
Follow the diet order, liquid type and position every time.
Know the signs of choking and get help right away.
Swallowing problems
Common with age
MedlinePlus says a swallowing problem means trouble or pain when swallowing. Some people have trouble with liquids, some with food, and some with their own saliva. It is more common in older adults. It often happens after a stroke, or with Parkinson's disease, a head injury, or cancer of the head or neck. It can make it hard to get enough food and fluids.
Warning signs
Watch and tell
MedlinePlus lists signs of a swallowing problem. Coughing or choking during or after eating. A gurgling sound in the throat. Clearing the throat after drinking. Very slow chewing. Coughing food back up after eating. Weight loss without a known reason. If you see any of these, tell your nurse. Don't wait for it to happen again.
The diet order
Exactly
Special diets are ordered by the doctor, or by a dietitian when allowed. Food must be made in a form that fits each person's needs. It may be cut, chopped, ground, or pureed. Liquids may need to be thickened. MedlinePlus says a person with a swallowing problem should not have thin liquids unless the provider or therapist says it's OK. In one CMS example, a resident on a pureed diet got the wrong texture and choked. Check the diet before every meal, snack, and drink.
Show the answer
Hold the tray and get the right diet and liquid before she eats or drinks anything. Food and liquids must match the diet order. The wrong texture can cause choking.
Sit up straight
Small bites
MedlinePlus gives tips for people with swallowing problems. Keep the meal calm. Sit up as straight as possible. Take small bites, less than a teaspoon. Chew well and swallow before the next bite. Don't mix food and liquid in the same bite, unless the therapist says it is OK. Don't talk while swallowing. Stay sitting up for 30 to 45 minutes after eating. Follow the care plan for position.
Choking
Act fast
Choking means food or an object is blocking the airway. Air can't get to the lungs. MedlinePlus says brain damage can happen in as little as 4 minutes. A choking person often grabs their throat. Other danger signs are not being able to speak, trouble breathing, and noisy or high-pitched breathing. Watch for a weak cough, bluish skin, and passing out.
Strong cough
Let them cough
First ask, 'Are you choking? Can you speak?' MedlinePlus says if the person is coughing hard and can speak, do not do first aid. A strong cough can push the food out. Encourage them to keep coughing. Stay with them, and call for your nurse. Be ready to act right away if they get worse.
Can't breathe
Get help now
If the person can't speak, can't breathe, or has a weak cough, act fast. Call for help right away. Use your call light or emergency code, or shout. In a home, call 911. MedlinePlus describes first aid as 5 back blows, then 5 abdominal thrusts, repeated. Do this only as you were trained. If the person passes out, call 911 and start CPR if trained. Follow your emergency policy and the person's wishes about CPR.
After choking
Report every time
MedlinePlus says anyone who has choked should have a medical exam, even if the food came out. Problems can show up in the days after. Watch for a cough that won't go away, fever, trouble swallowing or speaking, shortness of breath, or wheezing. Tell your nurse about every choking or coughing episode at meals. It may mean the diet or plan needs to change.
Quick review
Check, sit, watch
Let's review. Know the signs of a swallowing problem, and report them. Check the diet order and liquid type before every meal, snack, and drink. Sit the person up straight, give small bites, and keep them upright after. A strong cough means let them cough and stay close. If they can't speak or breathe, get help now. Report every choking episode.
Your facility's policy (ask your supervisor):
Your emergency code or steps for choking, and for a person who stops breathing
How staff find each person's code status
How diet orders and liquid consistency reach staff (tray card, diet list, care plan) and who to ask
Who on each shift is trained in choking first aid and CPR
Lesson 7: Toileting and Incontinence Care With Dignity
In this lesson you will:
Answer requests for toilet help quickly.
Use toileting plans and absorbent products the right way.
Protect skin and report changes.
Common
Not shameful
NIA says urinary incontinence means leaking urine by accident. It is more common in older people, especially women. It can be embarrassing, and it can make people avoid things they enjoy. But NIA says it can often be stopped or controlled. Causes include urinary tract infections and constipation. Some people have good bladder control but can't get to the toilet fast enough, for example because of arthritis.
Answer quickly
Every time
In one CMS example, staff ignored call lights or walked away without helping. Residents had accidents. They said it was embarrassing, humiliating, and degrading. CMS checks whether staff answer requests for help in a timely way. When someone asks to use the toilet, help them as soon as you can. Never tell a person who asks for the toilet to 'just go in your brief.'
Briefs are a tool
Not the plan
CMS says briefs and pads can keep a person dry and protect their dignity and comfort. But CMS also says they should not be the main long-term plan until the person has been checked and other options tried. CMS counts it as continence when a person uses the toilet with prompting, help, or a schedule. So getting someone to the toilet on time is a real success.
Show the answer
Using the toilet on your own or with prompts, help, or a schedule. CMS defines continence as any void that occurs voluntarily or with prompted, assisted, or scheduled toileting.
Toileting plans
Follow the schedule
The care plan may set a toileting schedule. CMS describes prompted voiding. Staff check in on a regular schedule, prompt the person to use the toilet, and praise them when they do. Another plan is scheduled toileting, often every three to four hours while awake. For people with dementia, NIA suggests regular bathroom breaks, a clear path, and a light left on. NIA also says don't limit water.
Privacy
Quiet words
Close the door and the curtain. Keep the person covered. CMS says leaving a urinary catheter bag uncovered is demeaning. Use a cover. CMS also says not to talk about residents where others can overhear. So never announce an accident in the hall. Speak quietly and kindly. Many people prefer 'brief' or 'pad' to 'diaper.'
Clean and dry
Protect skin
Wet skin is fragile. CMS says moisture can irritate skin and make it break down more easily. Skin that stays wet can turn white, soft, and soggy. Check and change the person on the schedule in their care plan. Clean gently and pat dry. CMS notes that frequent soap and water can dry the skin, so use the products in the care plan. Tell your nurse about redness, rash, open areas, or pain.
Bowel accidents
Respect
CMS says bowel accidents can cause shame and embarrassment, and some people pull away from others. CMS says care should treat the person with respect and reduce their embarrassment. Stay calm. Don't make faces or comments. Use the gloves and gown your care plan lists. CMS notes that frequent loose stool can be a sign of a blockage, so report it.
Report changes
Tell your nurse
NIA lists bladder signs to tell a provider about. Needing to go more often, or very suddenly. Cloudy urine, blood in the urine, or pain when going. New accidents in someone who was dry can mean a new problem, like an infection or constipation. Report these changes. Also, MedlinePlus says not to get up suddenly after urinating, so help people stand slowly.
Quick review
Prompt and private
Let's review. Incontinence is common, and it can often be helped. Answer toilet requests quickly, and never say 'just go in your brief.' Briefs are a tool, not the whole plan. Follow the toileting schedule. Keep care private, and cover catheter bags. Keep skin clean and dry. Report skin and bladder changes.
Your facility's policy (ask your supervisor):
Your toileting and incontinence product policy (types, change schedule, skin products)
Catheter bag cover supplies and where they are kept
CMS says mouth care keeps the whole mouth healthy. That means the teeth, lips, gums, and the inside lining of the mouth. It includes brushing teeth and cleaning dentures. When a resident can't do their own care, the rule says they must get help with mouth care. Home health and hospice aide training includes mouth care too. A clean mouth helps a person eat, talk, and feel good.
Brush gently
Gum line
NIA says to brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and a soft brush. Brush gently on all sides of the teeth. Brush along the gum line. Brush the tongue lightly too, and clean between the teeth. Let the person do as much as they can. NIA says a brush with a bigger handle, or an electric brush, can help people with weak or stiff hands.
Dentures
Clean and soak
NIA says to brush dentures every day with a denture product. Soak them at night in water or a denture cleaner. NIA says leaving them out during sleep helps prevent swollen gums. Follow the care plan and the person's wishes. Keep dentures in a labeled cup, never on a tray or in a napkin. MedlinePlus says dentures that don't fit well can cause choking. Report a poor fit.
Show the answer
Darker yellow urine and a dry, sticky mouth. MedlinePlus lists these as signs of mild to moderate dehydration.
Look and report
Mouth changes
Look in the mouth during care. NIA says gum disease can make gums red, tender, and likely to bleed. It can also cause bad breath and painful chewing. Many medicines cause dry mouth. NIA says dry mouth makes it hard to eat, swallow, and talk, and raises the risk of decay. Tell your nurse about sores, bleeding, loose teeth, mouth pain, or dentures that hurt. Mouth pain can make a person stop eating.
Drinks all day
Offer often
The rule says nursing homes must offer water and other drinks that fit each resident's needs and tastes, enough to stay hydrated. MedlinePlus says older adults are at higher risk of dehydration. So offer drinks often, not just at meals. Offer drinks the person likes. Keep water within reach, unless the care plan limits fluids. Always use the liquid type in the diet order, like thickened liquids.
Dehydration signs
Tell your nurse
MedlinePlus lists early signs of dehydration. Thirst. A dry or sticky mouth. Not urinating much, or darker yellow urine. Dry, cool skin. Headache or muscle cramps. Signs of severe dehydration include very dark or no urine, confusion, dizziness, a fast heartbeat, fast breathing, and sunken eyes. MedlinePlus says severe dehydration is a life-threatening emergency. Report signs right away.
Write it down
Honestly
Your nurse may ask you to track how much a person drinks and eats. Write down what they really took, not what was on the tray. Home health and hospice aides must keep records the way the agency says. A low number is not your fault. It is a clue. It helps your nurse catch dehydration early.
On your shift
A dry mouth
Mr. Park has been quiet and a bit confused today. His lips are dry, and he has only had half a cup of juice since breakfast. His urine is dark. You offer his favorite iced tea, within his diet order. Then you tell your nurse what you saw and how little he has had to drink. Your nurse checks him right away.
Quick review
Clean and wet
Let's review. Mouth care covers teeth, gums, tongue, lips, and dentures. Brush gently twice a day. Clean dentures daily and soak them at night. Report sores, bleeding, pain, or poor fit. Offer drinks often, the way the diet order says. Report thirst, dark urine, dry mouth, or confusion. Record intake honestly.
Your facility's policy (ask your supervisor):
Your oral care products and schedule (toothbrush type, denture cups, labeling)
How staff track fluid intake and who to tell about low intake
Answer every question. You need 80% to pass. You can try again as many times as you like.
Your quiz covers the lessons for: Nursing home ( questions). Change your setting
Please read
This free course gives you a certificate of completion from Pact Compliance. It is not continuing education (CE) credit and is not approved by any state.
Your employer decides whether it counts toward required in-service hours. Home health and hospice aide training must be given or supervised by the agency's registered nurse.
California: it does not count toward CNA or HHA renewal hours.
Your name and quiz answers stay in your browser and are never sent to Pact.
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Certificate of Completion
This certifies that
completed the online in-service course
Person-Centered Daily Care: Dignity in Bathing, Eating and Toileting
Setting
Completed
Seat time
Quiz score
Certificate ID
This free course gives you a certificate of completion from Pact Compliance. It is not continuing education (CE) credit and is not approved by any state. Your employer decides whether it counts toward required in-service hours. Home health and hospice aide training must be given or supervised by the agency's registered nurse. California: it does not count toward CNA or HHA renewal hours.
Part of this topic needs a hands-on check with your supervisor; this online course does not cover that part.
Pact does not keep a record of this certificate. Print it or save it as a PDF and give a copy to your supervisor. pactcompliance.com/free-training/person-centered-daily-care/
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