Support Workers’ Task Checklist

We used to tell our Support Workers what their regular tasks were, and they’d do them from memory. We found that when we rested partway through their shifts and they went home after completing their tasks, we’d get up later and find numerous tasks hadn’t been done at all because we hadn’t been there to remind them what needed doing before they went home. Instead of this becoming an issue between us we just made this task checklist, and they now use this every shift.

They’ve all given us positive feedback about it. They like having a written list to refer to rather than relying on their memory, especially when they work for numerous clients and have to remember numerous task lists. They find they have adequate time to complete these tasks.

We’ve found all our tasks on here are getting completed now.

Our checklists are kept in a folder. Support Workers get a new one each shift, fill it out, and add it to the top of the finished ones in a plastic pocket in the folder.

We also have a sheet in the folder for feedback on the checklists or anything else. We welcome all feedback.

In future to save on photocopying fees we might make it shorter and have more detailed notes about the tasks on a separate printed sheet in plastic. We were surprised how much photocopying cost! And definitely get it photocopied in black and white for substantial photocopying savings too. Use a highlighter by hand if you want it pretty. It’s Way cheaper! Like $88 black and white or $330 colour for the amount we got photocopied. We were lucky we had very little colour in ours and the person was nice and charged us the black and white fee, but we can’t have that guaranteed again in the future.

Here’s our Task Checklist, if you’re interested in ideas for what Support Workers can do during National Disability Insurance Scheme (Australia) shifts, as basics. They also do other things, like washing our hair and helping us with many other things. When they do other things they add them to the bottom of the checklist.

Tasks to be checked or completed each shift

(To be signed at end of shift)

First Name _________________________

Signature___________________________

Date______/______/202___

Shift (circle): Early / Late / Night

• Leave 2 Cocobellas, banana (not a brown or too-spotty one), and “Night” medication container on Rachel’s bedside table within accessible reach of her bed (on top of the “Morning” meds container by her bed). If there are no “Night” meds containers filled or none coming up to be filled, tell Rachel in warning before the end of your shift so you can help prepare the containers so she can fill them with the correct medications. Let Rachel know if last banana is used or 2 or less Cocobellas are there. Check that her Cocobellas by her bed have more than a drop left in them.
• Collect cat plates from Rachel’s room floor. Leave clean cat plates on edge of kitchen bench throughout shifts.
• Wash cat plates and dishes thoroughly using ½ a Chux (scissors on shelving), let dishes drip dry. Keep cat plates at edge of kitchen bench for accessible reach. Have all cat plates washed before leaving shift please.
• Rinse and refill two ceramic cat water bowls (cat water fountain gets rinsed and refilled Tuesday mornings Only, and topped up when getting low on water- never ever use soap in or on it).
• Keep plate with hand soap bar at edge of kitchen bench for accessible reach.
• Put away dishes from dish rack. Leave light blue bowl on kitchen bench near edge within accessible reach. Leave blue or red measuring cup on cooktop within accessible reach for Rachel.
• Leave clean drinking glass of fresh water on edge of kitchen bench beside dish rack for Rachel.
• Leave toilet roll and methylated spirits spray bottle on corner of cat food counter in dining room beside fridge.
• Wash keys with dishwash and water, if keys are used in shift. Leave on coffee table in accessible corner for Rachel to grab from wheelchair.
• Wipe down kitchen sink and clean kitchen plug, wipe down kitchen bench, cooktop
• Empty bins/trash cans in kitchen/dining
• Empty bins/trash cans in Rachel’s room, ensuite and bathroom if half full or more. Keep Rachel’s bedroom bin closest to her pillow under bedside table.
• Make sure there are 2 new toilet paper rolls on the bar beside Rachel’s toilet.
• Ask Rachel if she’d like her food prepared. It’s usually a very simple, quick, easy and repetitive meal prep. Sometimes she can’t eat if you don’t prepare her food. Ask her how she’d like it prepared if you’re not sure.
• Leave kitty litter with fresh kitty litter, only covering bottom of tray to 1.5cm thick.
• Keep kitchen/dining/lounge room floor swept and mopped. Vacuum before mopping if something like sugar spills or if it’s particularly hairy. Not if flour or powder spill. Check with Rachel before vacuuming (meetings, sensory processing disorder).
• Keep lounge room rainbow rug vacuumed- check with Rachel it’s okay to do vacuuming noise that shift (meetings, sensory processing disorder).
• Keep piano vacuumed with mini handheld vacuum. Dusty piano feels gross to play! Never Anything wet or damp on piano at all! Check with Rachel it’s okay to make vacuum noise that shift (meetings, sensory processing disorder).
• Check washing machine for laundry to hang out. If smelly washing left in machine, wash with laundry detergent again. If empty machine, leave machine and cupboard door open. Wash laundry with cupboard door shut. Check for washing needing doing. Towels together, fluff or non/fluff, or darks or brights together.
• Check with Rachel about opening Rachel’s bedroom blinds in morning shifts. Always close Rachel’s bedroom blinds in late shifts. Always shut blinds on days Rachel only has one shift.
• Keep support workers’ sink and bathroom sink counter clean (never cleaning toilet before with same cloth- always dispose of cloth after cleaning a toilet).
• Keep support workers’ toilet clean (brush and toilet cleaner beside loo, wipes in cupboard- be sure to put wipes in bin, not flush them; methylated spirits with Chux is great for wiping toilet seat and button instead, to fully kill germs- throw away Chux afterwards).
• Lightly spritz methylated spirits on contact point locations, and dry with ½ Chux (not drenched cloth): •Kitchen tap and handle.
• •Kitchen bench edge in front of sink
• •Cupboard handles in kitchen
• •Microwave buttons, door opener, door, door edge
• •Cupboard handles in foyer
• •Washing machine buttons,spin dial, soap container handle, door handle and door edge
• •(Lightly spritz Chux with methylated spirits then wipe down light switches and power points) bathroom light switches, ensuite light switches, lounge light switches, kitchen and dining power points
• •Green door buttons front and back doors
• •Door bells (both)
• •Bathroom tap and handle
• •Bathroom door handles inside and out
• •Bathroom toilet seat and toilet flush button (then dispose Chux)
• Shopping (items listed here or texted to you)

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