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6

Basic First Aid for the Elderly

This safety-critical module covers the essential first aid skills every caregiver must know: choking response, CPR, wound care, and when to seek emergency help.

5-6 hours CORE - Safety-Critical Safety-Critical Not Started

Learning Objectives

1
Recognise signs of choking and perform abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver)
2
Describe the correct response to an unconscious choking victim
3
Perform hands-only CPR with correct hand placement and rate
4
Control bleeding using direct pressure and demonstrate wound cleaning
5
Manage a nosebleed correctly
6
Recognise when a wound requires medical attention
7
Demonstrate the recovery position
8
List the information to communicate when calling for emergency medical help

Educational content only. This training material is for informational purposes. Always follow your employer's specific protocols and consult qualified medical professionals for clinical guidance.

Module 6 Learning Material

First Aid - When Seconds Matter

As a home caregiver, you may be the only person present when an emergency happens. These skills can save a life.

Choking Response

Signs of choking: Cannot speak or cough, hands at throat, face turning blue

For a conscious person:

  1. Stand behind the person
  2. Make a fist and place it just above the navel
  3. Grasp your fist with your other hand
  4. Give quick, upward thrusts into the abdomen
  5. Repeat until the object comes out or the person becomes unconscious

If the person becomes unconscious: Lower them to the ground carefully. Call for emergency help. Begin chest compressions.

Hands-Only CPR

If someone is unconscious and not breathing normally:

  1. Call for emergency medical help immediately
  2. Place the heel of one hand on the centre of the chest
  3. Place your other hand on top and interlock fingers
  4. Push hard and fast - at least 5cm deep
  5. Compress at a rate of 100-120 per minute (the beat of "Stayin' Alive")
  6. Continue until help arrives or the person starts breathing

Wound Care

For bleeding wounds:

  1. Apply firm, direct pressure with a clean cloth
  2. Keep pressure on for at least 10 minutes
  3. If blood soaks through, add another cloth on top (do not remove the first)
  4. Once bleeding stops, clean the wound gently with clean water
  5. Cover with a clean bandage

Nosebleed Management

  • Have the person lean FORWARD (not backward)
  • Pinch the soft part of the nose firmly
  • Hold for 10-15 minutes without releasing
  • Do NOT tilt the head back (blood can enter the airway)

The Recovery Position

For an unconscious person who IS breathing:

  1. Kneel beside the person
  2. Place the arm nearest to you at a right angle to their body
  3. Bring their far arm across their chest with hand against cheek
  4. Bend their far knee and roll them toward you
  5. Tilt their head back to keep the airway open

When to Call for Emergency Help

Call immediately for:

  • Unconsciousness
  • Not breathing or abnormal breathing
  • Severe bleeding that will not stop
  • Suspected stroke (F.A.S.T. signs)
  • Chest pain
  • Severe allergic reaction

When calling, be ready to say: your location, what happened, the person's condition, and what you have already done.

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