Managing hygiene and health and safety to enable
individuals with disabilities to maintain personal hygiene
is paramount to the wellbeing of both residents and staff.
Supporting an individual with a disability with their
personal hygiene may pose certain risks to care staff,
such as dealing with body waste and the risks associated
with airborne infections. Other risks may include
injury through moving and handling manoeuvres. A
risk assessment of the care environment and of the
individual’s ability to carry out personal hygiene tasks
must be undertaken (Walsh et al, 2005). Care workers
must ensure they have the right equipment to move
and handle individuals with minimum risk to their own
health and wellbeing and to ensure any open cuts are
covered up to prevent the possibility of infection.