The Nuts and Bolts of Health Care

A Toolkit for Direct Support Professionals

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This toolkit is for direct support professionals who are interested in improving the health and health care of the people they support. You can use the resources included in this toolkit as a whole, or as stand-alone materials, depending on the needs, goals and existing resources in your agency. We encourage you to use whichever pieces of this toolkit feel appropriate for your site.
More About This Toolkit About IDD

The Developmental Disabilities Primary Care Program is a program of Surrey Place that collaborates with primary care providers, such as family doctors, nurses, and health care providers throughout Canada, researchers and knowledge translation professionals to publish guidelines and corresponding clinical practice tools and educational materials to assist primary care providers in their care of patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Nuts and Bolts has partnered with the DDPCP to publish two new tools, About My Health and My Health Care Visit. You can find these in the Tools and Tips for Health Care Visits section of this toolkit
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Tools and Tips for Health Care Visits

This information will help you and the people you support to prepare and participate in health care visits.

The About My Health Tool will help the people you are supporting to share key information with new health care providers and help appointments run more smoothly.
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The My Health Care Visit tool will help the people you are supporting to be more involved in their health care.
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Use these templates as sample letters that your agency can use to send to family members and health care providers caring for the people your agency supports. These letters can facilitate a better understanding of why the agency is implementing new tools for health care visits and how family members and health care providers can help.
For Families Health Care Providers

This checklist outlines important things to consider when preparing for emergencies.
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These two videos show examples of strategies to help prepare for health care visits and how to make them go more smoothly. Follow Julie and Kerry Ann as they prepare for and go to a visit at the doctor.

Enhancing Communication

Tips and information on fostering excellent communication with the people you support, and role modelling it to others, including health care providers.

Use this glossary to familiarize yourself with different types of health care providers and what they specialize in.
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Learn more about what to consider when finding a family doctor for the people you support and how to go about doing so.
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Learn more about how you can facilitate communication and self-efficacy in the people you support when receiving medical care.
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Learn how you can be a health care communication champion for the people you support.
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Making decisions in health care can be complicated. Find out how you can support health care decision making.
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A diagnosis of a catastrophic illness can be difficult for everyone involved. This resource gives 5 tips for providing social and emotional support, and provides suggestions about how to work with the health care system and take care of yourself as a direct support professional.
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Health Care Information

Information and resources on health care conditions that commonly affect people with IDD.

Aging Controlled Acts Dementia Medications
Mental Health Pain Assessment Urinary Tract Infections

Seizures

Epilepsy is more common in people with IDD, than people without. Use these tools from the Developmental Disabilities Primary Care Program for preventive planning and monitoring of seizures.

Info Tips for Cargivers Action Plan First Aid Monitoring Chart Baseline Record

Monitoring Charts

The Developmental Disabilities Primary Care Program at Surrey Place developed monitoring charts that you can use to collect data and health information related to various health issues and conditions such as sleep, menstruation, food, and blood sugar.

Browse Monitoring Charts
The International Journal for Direct Support Professionals

This newsletter for direct support professionals covers various topics related to IDD and health.

Articles

Health Care Handouts for People with IDD

Information sheets and handouts on common health care conditions and procedures to give out and review with the people you support to help them understand these health care issues and prepare for procedures.

Fecal Occult Blood Test Pap Test Mammogram
Links and Resources