Article: You might visit with people in the community over age 60 who live at home. During your visit, you'll assess any health issues they might need to address and you can refer them to services that are available. You might also ensure that the person has an adequate environment, including heating, cooling, food, and appropriate clothing, as well as assess their ability to care for themselves. For example, you might remind someone that free or low-cost flu vaccinations are available at a clinic in the community. You might work alongside other caregivers when visiting with older people. If the person needs assistance to live on their own, they might be primarily cared for by a relative or professional caregiver. One of your primary responsibilities as a health visitor will be going to the homes of new parents. You can answer questions the parents may have about caring for their newborn and assess the safety of the baby in the home, ensuring the families has the food and supplies it needs. Health visitors tend to visit high-risk homes more often than other homes. They can also recycle items families don't need anymore to needy families. New parents may need advice on how to baby-proof their home so the baby is in a safe environment. You also might discuss how to feed the baby or how to wash and care for the baby. As a health visitor, you'll help organize special clinics or centers where people can drop in for medical advice. For example, you may organize a clinic for adolescents to drop in and talk about emotional troubles they're having. These specialty clinics are usually designed to deal with specific issues that the community is facing. You may also be responsible for setting up child immunization programs in the community, especially if there's an outbreak of communicable disease. You may work with a family that has a special needs child. In this case, you might coordinate with members of other medical or social agencies. You'll need to focus on the child with special needs to ensure they're getting the care and attention they need. You'll also need to make sure that the needs of the rest of the family are being met. In some cases, you may be working with other specialists to serve the same family. This way, one of you can focus on the child with special needs while the other can meet the needs of the family. As a health visitor, you might need to work with people who struggle in the community (such as setting up a clinic for homeless people or people with addictions). You should have good communication skills in order to help people who may have trouble interacting with members of the community. You will also be required to watch for cases of abuse or neglect within the community, especially when visiting with children. You may visit prostitutes to ensure they are practicing safe sex and be an educational resource for the community.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Discuss health issues with older people. Meet with new parents. Raise health awareness in the community. Support children with special needs. Work with vulnerable groups in the population.