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Assisted Living Technician Certificate Program with Clinical Externship


Program includes National Certification & a Clinical Externship Opportunity


The Assisted Living Technician Profession

Assisted living is for the adult who needs help with everyday tasks, but desires to live somewhat independently and do not need full-time nursing care. They may require various levels of help in dressing, bathing, eating, toileting, or ambulation/transportation to other areas. Many assisted living facilities are part of retirement communities or a senior housing complex and may be in close proximity to or even a part of a nursing home or a long-term care facility with full-time nursing care if the patient needs this level of care.The Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests Assisted Living is projected to be one of the fastest growing areas for employment through 2021. Numerous job openings with excellent opportunities are expected.


The Assisted Living Technician Program

This comprehensive program prepares students for a position as an Assisted Living Technician. Emphasis is on providing care to clients living in retirement communities or senior housing complexes where full-time care may not be required, but an understanding and professional staff is necessary to be there for them when needed. Seniors in these communities may require various levels and types assistance depending on their specific situation, needs and wants.Assisted Living Technicians are compassionate, caring and skilled healthcare professionals that provide this assistance or care for the peace of mind of both the senior population in their charge and the families who wish to see their loved ones continue to thrive in their later years. This program will ensure students are prepared to provide a variety of essential services for their clients with the compassion, sensitivity and understanding necessary to provide care when needed and independence when not. Beyond the medical training provided, this course will ensure students have full understanding of the assisted living environment.


Program Objectives

At the conclusion of this program, students will be able to:

  • Describe long-term care in terms of the target populations, environment, care options, general costs, services, and regulations
  • Describe the physiological, psychological, and sociological changes related to aging
  • Describe memory care needs and options for individuals with diseases and disorders
  • Explain proper procedures for infection control in a home or residential environment
  • Explain the proper procedures for performing basic housekeeping procedures
  • Explain procedures and strategies for planning, purchasing, and serving food
  • Explain the proper procedures for safely assisting an individual in activities of daily living
  • Explain procedures for preventing fluid overload and dehydration
  • Explain proper procedures for applying a variety of warm and cold applications
  • Describe important considerations and practices for offering activities and programs commonly in assisted living environments
  • Explain procedures involved in caring for individuals with special needs such as cancer, immunosuppressive disorders, mental health issues, substance abuse disorders, specimen collections, changing dressings, testing blood glucose, administration of medication, and performing other types of common specialized care
  • Describe effective and appropriate care of an individual who is dying
  • Explain rehabilitative therapies for individuals in a residential environment
  • Explain common preoperative and postoperative care procedures
  • Use Microsoft Office

MODULE 1 - THE RESIDENTIAL CARE ENVIRONMENT

LESSON 1 – THE LONG TERM CARE ENVIRONMENT

  • Define long-term care
  • Describe the type of individual who might require long-term care solutions
  • Distinguish between the various types of long-term care options and environments
  • Identify the common tasks performed and responsibilities by the caregivers in long-term care environments
  • Describe typical costs and payment solutions for long-term care
  • List individual rights and expectations of those for whom care is given
  • Identify the roles and responsibilities of various healthcare professionals
  • Describe current role of ethics in medicine
  • Examine ethical issues including privacy and confidentiality
  • Describe characteristics of professional behavior in the long-term care environment

LESSON 2 – PHYSIOLOGY, PSYCHOLOGY, AND SOCIOLOGY OF AGING

  • Describe aging and characteristics of the aging population
  • Describe the physical changes of the older adult
  • Identify common disease conditions of older adults
  • Describe the social and psychological concerns related to aging
  • Identify common behavioral health disorders of older adults
  • Discuss the safety issues and guidelines for the older adult resident
  • Explain how to meet the older adult’s social and psychological needs

LESSON 3 – MEMORY CARE

  • Explain the different types of dementia including risk factors, signs and symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment
  • Compare dementia with the normal age-related memory changes
  • Describe the type of options available for memory care
  • Discuss best practices in memory-care facilities
  • Explain effective strategies for caring for patients with dementia and their families

MODULE 2 – HOMEMAKING AND SAFETY SKILLS

LESSON 4 – INFECTION CONTROL IN A RESIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENT

  • Explain the importance of and procedure for proper hand washing
  • Describe the procedures for ensuring infection control in the home health or residential environment
  • Explain the proper care for individuals with transmittable diseases
  • Identify Standard Precautions of the CDC
  • Describe how to put on and remove nonsterile gloves
  • Describe the basic isolation techniques that can be used in a residential environment
  • Discuss how to manage medical waste
  • Discuss how and when to use a mask and gown

LESSON 5 – HOMEMAKING AND SAFETY IN THE RESIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENT

  • Identify the homemaking tasks of the caregiver in a residential environment
  • Explain basic procedures involved in housekeeping
  • Explain how to make a bed that is occupied and not occupied
  • Describe safety rules that should be applied to the home
  • Discuss fire-prevention strategies and steps for putting out a fire after it starts
  • Discuss specific guidelines related to poisons
  • Discuss specific guidelines related to oxygen safety
  • Explain restraints and positioning devices
  • Explain body mechanics and how these concepts are applied

LESSON 6 – PLANNING, PURCHASING AND SERVING FOOD TO PATIENTS

  • Identify the basic anatomy and functions of the digestive system
  • Explain the standards for a healthy diet
  • Describe important considerations associated with planning and shopping for meals
  • Describe important considerations associated with storing food
  • Describe important considerations and guidelines associated with preparing a meal
  • Discuss the steps to serving a meal to an individual
  • Identify the purpose of common therapeutic diets
  • Explain the effects of chemotherapy and radiation on an individual's diet

MODULE 3 – BASIC CARE SKILLS

LESSON 7 – BASIC PERSONAL CARE

  • Identify areas in which patients or residents may need assistance in personal care
  • Describe procedures for ensuring oral hygiene
  • Describe procedures for dressing and undressing
  • Describe procedures for assisting with bathing
  • Describe procedures for giving a backrub
  • Describe procedures for hair care
  • Describe procedures for shaving a beard
  • Describe procedures for assisting with toileting
  • Describe procedures for performing nail and foot care
  • Describe procedures for performing skin care
  • Describe procedures for taking vital signs

LESSON 8 – PREVENTING FLUID OVERLOAD AND DEHYDRATION

  • Explain the concept of fluid balance in the body
  • Describe how to properly record fluid intake and output
  • Explain how to care for individuals who require fluid monitoring
  • Explain the procedure for straining urine

LESSON 9 – WARM & COLD APPLICATIONS

  • Differentiate the purpose of warm and cold applications
  • Describe different methods of warm and cold applications using moist and dry techniques
  • Describe how to keep the individuals comfortable and safe during warm and cold applications

MODULE 4 – SKILLS FOR SPECIAL POPULATIONS

LESSON 10 – ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS FOR ASSISTED LIVING

  • Describe the roles and responsibilities of the activity assistant in an assisted-living community
  • Describe the qualifications, requirements, and certification options of an activity professional within a long-term care environment
  • Explain the common physical, psychological, and social changes associated with age
  • Describe the benefits of activities and programs for residents of assisted-living communities
  • Describe ways in which an assisted-living-facility interacts with the local community
  • Explain ways in which an assisted-living community interacts with family and friends of the resident
  • Explain strategies and techniques that lead to excellent customer services for assisted-living residents and their families and visitors
  • Describe common activities and programs in assisted-living communities designed to address the psychological, social, physical, spiritual, and emotional needs of the residents
  • Explain effective strategies for teaching and leading a variety of activities
  • Describes strategies for assessing activities and programs
  • Describe activities designed specifically for residents with memory related disorders
  • Identify best practices in assisted-living facilities related to activities and programming

LESSON 11 – CARE OF INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

  • Explain common care of patients with cancer
  • Explain common care of individuals with immunosuppression disorders
  • Explain common care of residents with mental health issues
  • Explain common care of those with substance abuse disorders
  • Explain how to how to care for those with other common diseases

LESSON 12 – CARE OF THE DYING

  • Explain the grieving process, including the stages of grieving
  • Identify possible emotional needs of the dying person
  • Explain the role of the caregiver with a dying individual
  • Explain advance directives for healthcare
  • Identify potential tasks involved in the physical care of the dying
  • Explain the role of the caregiver during the moment of death
  • Discuss various options for postmortem care in the home

MODULE 5 – ADVANCED CARE SKILLS

LESSON 13 – REHABILITIATION AND RETURN TO SELF-CARFE

  • Distinguish between rehabilitation and restorative care
  • Explain the holistic approach to patient care
  • Identify examples of a rehabilitation program
  • Discuss OBRA requirements for nursing facilities
  • Identify roles and responsibilities of the professional rehabilitation team
  • Discuss the psychological and psychosocial aspects of rehabilitative care
  • Explain procedures involved in the personal care of the rehabilitative patient
  • Define subacute care
  • Explain ventilator care

LESSON 14 – CARE OF THE SURGICAL PATIENT

  • Describe the different types of surgery
  • Describe the procedures for preoperative care
  • Describe the procedures for postoperative care
  • Discuss anesthesia and postoperative complications

LESSON 15 – SPECIAL PROCEDURES FOR RESIDENTIAL CARE

  • Describe how to how to assist a person in taking his or her medication
  • Explain safety precautions related to oxygen therapy
  • Describe the procedure for changing a nonsterile dressing
  • Explain procedures related to catheter care
  • Describe how to assist a person who is on intravenous therapy
  • Describe procedures appropriate to cast care
  • Explain procedures related to ostomy care
  • Describe how to create a seizure-safe environment
  • Describe blood and urine testing procedures for diabetic individuals
  • Explain how to assist individuals in performing deep-breathing exercises
  • Explain the uses of saline solution
  • Describe how to assist with total parenteral nutrition
  • Describe how to take a urine sample

Note: This program can be completed in 6 months. However, students will have online access to this program for a 24-month period.

Education and National Certifications

  • Students should have or be pursuing a high school diploma or GED.
  • There are several National Certification exams that are available to students who successfully complete this program:
    • National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) Exam

National Certification

Upon successful completion of this Auburn University program, students would be eligible to sit for the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam. Students who complete this program at Auburn University will be prepared and are eligible to sit for the NHA CCMA certification exam qualified, eligible and prepared to do so.Auburn University works with each student to complete the exam application and register the student to take their national certification exam.

Externship / Hands on Training / Practicum

Although not a requirement, once students complete the program, they have the ability to participate in a clinical externship and/or hands on practicum so as to practice the skills necessary to perform the job requirements of a professional in this field. Students will be assisted with completing a resume and/or other requirements necessary to work in this field. All students who complete this program are eligible to participate in an externship and placed with a participating organization near their location. Auburn University works with national organizations and has the ability to place students in externship opportunities nationwide

Note: No refunds can be issued after the start date published in your Financial Award document.