We hope you'll find this glossary useful. It is updated constantly, so please come back and check it regularly.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Abuse
Causing someone harm - emotionally, physically, psychologically, institutionally, financially, sexually etc.

Accreditation
The formal recognition of the compliance with a standard

Acute
Health problem that lasts for a short while from which the person recovers

Adapt
When someone fits in with new circumstances, situations etc.

Adaptive skills
The skills that people use every day to go about their normal routines and tasks of life

Adjustment
That which is necessary to adapt to and/or make change

Admission
The formal commencement of providing care provision

Advocate
Someone who is formally designated to speak up for the interests of someone else

Agenda behaviour
When someone follows a particular routine (agenda) that they would have adopted in the past

Aggression
Actively making a forceful approach towards someone else to exert desires over someone else

Agitation
Signs that show someone is becoming excited, troubled, irritated, aggressive etc.

AIDS
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) which attacks the body’s immune system making its ability to fight infection difficult.

Airborne transmission
Transmission of infection from one thing to another by being breathed in from the air

Ambulation
Being able to move, walk about

Amputation
The cutting off (removing) of a part of the body, usually a limb

Anaemia
Body tissues are starved of oxygen because the number of red blood cells that carry the oxygen around the body have been reduced

Anatomy
The study of parts of the body

Angina
Chest pain due to restricted blood supply to heart muscles

Anorexia
Psychological illness that causes people, often girls and young women, to starve themselves to look thin

Antibiotics
Drugs that kill microorganisms

Antibody
A protein produced by the body to fight infection

Antispetic
Substance that reduces the growth or micro organisms

Anus
The area where the large intestine opens to exit the body

Anxiety
When someone starts to become uneasy in their own mind

Aorta
The artery from which blood leaves the heart

Aphasia
A condition whereby someone finds it difficult to put their thoughts into words

Arteries
Blood vessels, they carry oxygenated blood around the body and, therefore, flow away from the heart

Arthritis
Joint inflammation that impairs their movement and causes pain

Aspirate
To breathe in

Assault
To physically make contact with someone else’s body without consent and with the probable intention of inflicting harm

Assertive
Being obviously confident

Assessment
Evaluation of a need, requirement

Assumption
Believing something to be right or wrong without checking it

Asthma
The person can not breathe properly because spasms cause the airway to constrict.

Audiologist
Assists people with hearing improvements - hearing aids etc.

Autism
A condition where someone has withdrawn into an almost world of their own, often accompanied by social difficulties

Autoclave
A machine that sterilises medical equipment using steam pressure

Autonomy
Making your own decisions for yourself

B

Bacteria
Organisms that can cause infection

Barrier
Something that separates one thing from another

Bereavement
The process of grieving after a loved one has died

Biohazards
Anything of a biological, chemical etc. nature that could put someone at risk

Bladder
Where the body stores urine

Bladder training
A plan of care that helps someone regain control of their urination

Blood pressure
The pressure of the blood in the arteries

Body fluids
Liquids that are secreted from the body such as blood, mucus, semen, urine etc. and that have a capability of harbouring infection

Body language
The non verbal signals we give out and/or receive to/from other people

Boundaries
The lines that one must not cross - personally, morally, ethically etc.

Brace
An aid that supports and/or strengthens a part of the body

Bulimia
Similar to anorexia, but, the sufferer binge eats and then makes themselves vomit to get rid of the food

C

Cardiac arrest
(see heart attack)

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
A procedure that maintains breathing and circulation when someone has had a cardiac arrest (heart attack)

Care plan
An interdisciplinary written document that records the well being of a person and documents goals and objectives for the development of their well being - it is an “active” document

Care worker
A person who provides care and support for another person formally - for example, a care assistant in a care home

Carer
A person who provides care and support for another person informally - for example, a father looking after a disabled child

Catheter
A tube that drains fluid from a person’s body

Cerebral palsy
Before or during birth the central nervous system is damaged which effects the person’s well being

Cerebral vascular accident (CVA)
Another name for a stroke

Challenging behaviour
Behaviour that is seen as overtly disruptive, whether the person presenting the behaviour or not is aware of it, such that it may/does disturb others

Chemical restraint
Medication used to sedate someone

Chiropodist
(see Podiatrist)

Cholesterol
A substance that is found in cells and body fluids

Chronic
An illness or condition that has no current cure and is ongoing, usually for a long time

Circulation
The flow of blood around the body

Clarify
Making sure something is understood

Clinical procedure
A clinical/medical/care activity involving a care worker and/or carer

Clinical waste
Waste that is contaminated, in any way, with body fluid or material

Closed questions
Questions that are most likely to end in “yes” or “no”

Coercion
Making someone do something against their will

Cognitive difficulty
A condition whereby thinking and memory skills have been impaired

Colostomy
A surgical opening in the skin from the colon or bowel to help someone defecate using a tube and bag

Comatose
When someone is unconscious

Commode
A type of chair with a hole in the seat that helps someone go to the toilet into a chamber pot underneath the hole

Communication
The verbal and non verbal sending and/or receipt of messages, sharing of information and ideas etc. between persons

Competency
Being able to demonstrate adequate capability based upon combinations of knowledge, experience and training

Complementary treatment
Usually, a non drug mode of treatment

Compress
A hot or cold pad that is put against part of the body

Confidentiality
Keeping information private

Confront
To challenge someone with something

Congenital disability
A condition that exists at birth but is not necessarily genetic

Consent
The agreement of a person to allow another person to do something for/with/to them

Constipation
When bowel movement is slowed down, consequently the person finds it difficult to expel faeces regularly and/or with ease

Context
The situation and/or background in which something said has its meaning

Continence
The ability to control urinating or defecating

Contracture
A deformity as a result of muscle that becomes permanently shortened, or due to scar tissue

Convalescent
Gradual recovery of health and strength after illness

CoSHH
The control of substances hazardous to health

CPR
A procedure that maintains breathing and circulation when someone has had a cardiac arrest (heart attack)

Culture
The beliefs, practices, racial and religious traits that make a group distinctive

CVA
Another way of describing a stroke

Cystic fibrosis
The lungs generate thick secretions which requires drainage or the person would drown in their own fluid

D

Dehydration (see hydration)
This occurs if someone does not have enough fluid in their body, it is extremely serious

Delusion
When someone thinks that a thought they have had is real when it is not real

Dementia
A worsening condition due to brain illness that affects mental and physical ability

Depression
The feeling of emptiness, hopelessness that someone is experiencing which makes them very “down”

Dermatitis
Inflammation of the skin

Deteriorate
Get worse

Development
The changes that occur as a person gets older

Developmental disability
A condition that causes a person to develop less well as others which impairs their ability to cope with daily living

Diabetes
The body does not produce enough insulin which is needed to convert food into fuel. This effects the sugar level of the person and their well being.

Diarrhoea
The frequent passing of loose, almost liquid stools

Diastolic pressure
The second/bottom reading of blood pressure which shows the heart’s blood pressure when the heart is resting

Dietician
Someone who provides specialist advice on nutrition needs

Dignity
The feeling that conveys the sense of self worth

Direct transmission
Direct transfer of microorganisms from one thing to another

Directive
An instruction that must be complied with

Disability
Society shapes ideas about what is “normal”. Disability is the loss of ability according to that which is seen as “normal” ability by society

Discharge
The formal ending of providing care provision

Disclosure
Telling another person about something

Discrimination
The unfair/prejudiced action of against someone because of a characteristic of the person/s

Disinfectant
Usually a chemical, it inactivates microorganisms

Distraction
Where a person’s attention is drawn away from one thing to another

Diversity
That there are many different people, beliefs, views, cultures etc.

Down’s syndrome
A condition present from birth that results in learning disability and, sometimes, heart problems as well

Drape
Cover up

Dysarthria
A muscle problem makes it difficult for the person to speak

Dyslexia
A person has difficulty with reading, writing and/or numeracy

Dysphagia
A condition that causes difficulty chewing and swallowing food and drink

Dysphasia
The sufferer understands that which is going on around them but loses their ability to write and/or speak, either partially or fully. The frustration this causes can often be seen in challenging behaviour

E

Elimination
Getting urine and/or faeces out of the body

Emotional needs
Wanting to be needed, loved, respected

Empowerment
Enabling people to make their own decisions for themselves

Enabling
Helping, encouraging, supporting someone to do something for themselves with and/or without appropriate aids etc.

Epilepsy
A condition whereby a disorder of the central nervous system can cause seizures and there may be developmental problems as well

Equal opportunities
Ensuring every person has equal access to the same opportunities

Equality
Being available to equal opportunity

Equity
The state of fairness

Ergonomics
Studying the relationship of job tasks and the worker’s capabilities with a view to developing a worker friendly environment

Ethics
Awareness and application of issues that have rights, wrongs and moral dilemmas

F

Facilitate
To make something more possible to happen

Faecal impaction
If constipation is not put right, the faeces “compact” in the rectum

Foreskin
The skin that covers the end of the penis when someone has not been circumcised

Foundation (see Induction)
The structured training period, generally for new staff, to ensure they genuinely understand and can demonstrate competency in the main aspects of their duties and job description. Usually the first few months following on from Induction.

Fowler’s position
The position of sitting upright, usually in bed

G

Geriatrician
A person who specialises in the medical condition of elderly people

Gerontology
The study, field of understanding that deals with aging

Glaucoma
An eye disorder that can result in blindness

Grievance
A formal complaint

Guilt
Feelings that someone has who believes they have done something wrong

H

Hallucination
When someone hears and/or sees something that is not there

Health promotion
The active encouragement of others to improve their health and providing ways to do it

Heart attack
Heart muscles do not receive their blood supply which means they can not function properly and oxygen can not be pumped around the body and the person will collapse. Before doing so, they often feel a “crushing” feeling in the chest, pain down the left arm and sometimes their back.

Heimlich manoeuvre
The technique that is used to release a foreign body from someone’s airway when they are choking

Hemiplegia (see stroke)

Hepatitis
A virus that affects the liver which can cause death

Hierarchy
An organised ranking

High blood pressure(see hypertension)

HIV (see AIDS)
A viral infection transmitted by direct contact with body fluids

Hospice care
Special care provision for someone who is very ill and expected to die within a few months

Hydration (see dehydration)
Maintaining an adequate fluid level

Hypertension
High blood pressure that often results in stroke

Hypothermia
The person is not kept warm enough and their body temperature drops below 35.0ºC causing their body to shut down

I

Identity
How a person comes to understand themselves in the context of society around them

Ileostomy
The surgical opening of the ileum (see stoma)

Impairment
The loss or making worse of something

Incident
Something that happens which is unusual

Incontinence
Not being able to control urinating or defecating

Independent
When someone is not dependent upon someone else, the person can do something for themselves

Indirect transmission
Transmission of microorganisms from one thing to another via a third party, such as hands, equipment etc.

Individuality
The sense of self that a person develops as their life experiences grow and change shaped by their beliefs, age, class, circumstances etc.

Induction (see Orientation and Foundation)
The structured initial training period, generally for new staff, to ensure they understand the basic application of their duties and job description and that the employer is happy the employee understands these basics. Usually the first few weeks, built upon during Foundation.

Infection
A condition whereby a microbiological agent becomes established on or in a host and there are signs of that infection

Infection control
Methods to prevent the spread of infection

Informed consent
The recipient has knowingly understood what the giver seeks to do, the implications of them doing it, and has consented for the giver to do it

Insomnia
Not being able to sleep

Insulin
A hormone that contributes to the breaking down of carbohydrates in the body

Interdisciplinary
Where two or more “agencies” work together in the provision of someone’s care

Internalisation
Learning that is deeply understood and, therefore, unlikely to be forgotten - at least not for some time

Invasive
Entry into the body

J

K

Key worker
A person with the main responsibility for the provision of a service to a client or clients

L

Labelling
Applying stereotypical ideas to individuals rather than groups

Labia
The outer and inner fatty areas found around the vulva of a woman’s genitals

Listening
Actively engaging the mind to understand what someone else is seeking to communicate in order that their communication is accurately understood

M

Mask
A covering that protects the face and/or mouth

Menopause
The stage of a woman’s life where hormonal changes occur

Mercury
A silvery metallic element that is often used in medical and scientific instruments - it is extremely poisonous

Microorganisms
Viruses, bacteria etc. that can not be seen by eye

Mobility
How capable someone is for moving about themselves

Motor neurone disease
Motor nerve cells are impaired which weakens them and they gradually waste away effecting the person’s mobility, swallowing, breathing etc.

Motor skills
The abilities regarding physical skills and abilities

MS
See multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis
A progressive disease that affects nerve fibres which causes gradual disabling

N

Need
Something that is necessary to or for someone

Negligence
The failure to act in what would be considered a proper and professional manner by a group of reasonably minded people

Non pathogenic
Microorganisms that do not cause infection

Non verbal communication
Sending and/or receiving messages without using words

Normalisation
Creating situations where a person can develop and function as close to that which would be considered “normal” by society in general

O

Obesity
Being so overweight that health is severely at risk

Objective
Information that is factual and can be observed

Occupational therapist (OT)
Someone who helps a person use their hands and arms better, their primary role being to assist people to undertake day to day activities as best they can for themselves, with and/or without suitable aids

Oedema (edema)
Fluid builds up which causes swelling, typically in the legs and ankles

Ombudsman
Someone formally designated to investigate complaints independently

Open questions
Questions that are not easily answered with a “yes” or “no”, they need to be answered more “openly”, fully

Optician
Assists people with eyesight improvements - spectacles etc.

Oral
A procedure involving the mouth

Orientation (see Induction)
The rapid awareness programme adopted by a care provider to assist, generally new staff, understand their basic responsibilities and how they are applied. Usually the first few days.

Osteoarthritis
Joint inflammation because of “wear and tear” of the joint

Osteoporosis
Where bones have become weak and brittle because of loss of minerals, particularly calcium

Ostomy
When the body is opened up surgically to make an opening in the skin from the intestine

Outbreak
A sudden, often unexpected, rapid increase of a disease or illness

P

Palliative care
Special care provision that focuses on maximising comfort and, often, pain relief when someone’s circumstances are foreseeably beyond cure

Paranoia
The sufferer wrongly believes that other people are a threat to them, they can become very anxious, agitated and might retaliate to what they think has happened to them

Paraphrasing
Repeating back, in summarised form, what someone has communicated to you with a view to test understanding

Parkinson’s Disease
A condition of the central nervous system (neurological) that impairs mobility (motor skills) and can eventually impair speech, daily activities, eating etc.

Pathogenic
Microorganisms that can produce disease

Perineal
The are between and around a person’s anus and genitals

Personal
When something is private

Perspiration
The salty fluid that is secreted by the sweat glands

Pharmacist
A person who specialises in the understanding of drugs and their application

Physical needs
The need for food, water, warmth, shelter etc.

Physical restraint
Physical restriction of a person’s freedom, ability to move

Physical therapist
Someone who helps people retain and/or improve their overall physical abilities

Physiotherapist
Different from an occupational therapist, the physiotherapist specifically seeks to develop movement and mobility to improve the person’s own capabilities

Podiatrist
Someone who specialises in foot care

Prompting
Encouraging someone to do something for themselves, reminding them

Prosthesis
An aid that is made to replace a missing part of the body

Protein
Amino acids that are necessary for us to survive

Protein
A nutrient that comes from food which builds and repairs cells and tissue

Protocol
A written way of doing something which often links in to policies and procedures

Psychiatrist
Primarily works with mental illness whereas a psychologist is more generally involved in human behaviour

Psychologist
Primarily works with behaviour whereas a psychiatrist is more specifically involved in mental illness

Psychosocial
The matters affecting the relationship between a person’s mental/psychological state and their social interactions

Pulse
The measure of heart beat, heart rate

Q

R

Recognition
Acknowledgement of importance

Recreational therapy
Working with a person to help them remain active

Rectal
A procedure involving the rectum (a person’s bottom)

Reflection
Consciously reviewing thoughts and actions with a view to understanding them better

Reflective listening
A technique to test understanding by asking back the last few words someone said to you

Rehabilitation
Helping someone get back to the way they were

Reprisal
Retaliating against someone for something they have done

Respect
Being held in high regards

Respite
A period of rest that is, in this context, made available to people, often family, who have been caring for someone

Restoration
Helping someone regain as much independence and mobility as possible

Restorative
That which is designed to help someone back to health

Resuscitate
Reviving someone who appears to be dead

Retaliation
Getting revenge against someone for doing something

Risk management
The active planning, organisation, control and review of matters that could result in liability with a view to reducing and preventing that liability arising

S

Safety
Free from harm, danger or threat

Scrotum
The bag that holds a man’s testicles

Secretions
Substances that come out of the body such as saliva, mucus, perspiration etc.

Sedate
Calm someone with drugs

Self abuse
Abuse that a person directs towards themselves

Self determination
The freedom to make your own choices

Self esteem
The extent to which we value ourselves in relation to our own expectations of ourselves - how we feel about ourselves

Shock
A condition where not enough oxygen gets to the vital organs of the body which causes us to fail to function properly

Sign
Something that can be seen

Significant other
A person who is important to someone else, for example a family member, partner, close friend

Sitz bath
A special basin, usually fitted to a toilet or commode, so that a person can attend to their own perineal care

Socialisation
Learning and developing the ways of the world, accepted values etc. of the society we are in

Speech therapist
Their primary role is to help someone with communication difficulties both understand and be understood (communicate) better

Status
Rank in relation to other people

Stereotype
A fixed (and generally assumed) idea of what is supposed to represent a group people - their behaviour, attitudes etc.

Stoma
An opening made by surgery to help someone eliminate (see elimination).

Stool
Another name for faeces

Stress
Physical and/or emotional reaction that causes mental tension

Stroke
When the supply of blood to the brain is interrupted

Stump
The part of a body left after some of it has been removed

Subacute care
Care that is provided to people who are not so ill as to be in hospital but too ill to be at home

Subjective
Something that has been guessed at, it is not objective, not necessarily factual - an opinion

Sundown syndrome
A condition where a person’s mood and sometimes behaviour changes as the day becomes later, often as it starts to become dark

Supine position
The position when someone is lying on their back

Supplement (food)
A concentrated nutrient given to someone to “add value” to their meals

Symptom
Something felt by someone but that can not be seen by someone else

Systolic pressure
The first/top reading of blood pressure which shows the heart’s blood pressure when the heart is beating

T

TB
Infectious bacterial disease that mainly affects the lungs

Tolerate
When someone has to put up with (endure) someone else

Transfer
When someone moves from one place or one position to another

Tuberculosis
Infectious bacterial disease that mainly affects the lungs

Tympanic temperature
The temperature of the eardrum

U

UICPs
The universally accepted principles and practices that prevent the spread of infection

Urethra
The passage (canal) that carries urine from the bladder so that a person can urinate

Urination
Getting urine out of the body

Urine
The liquid waste that is secreted by the kidney before being stored in the bladder

V

Validate
To prove that something is right

Value base
The agreed and recognised values that guide behaviour

Values
The beliefs that people have about what is important to them

Virus
Microorganism that only survives in living things

Vital signs
The aspects (signs) that are necessary for life and, therefore, good health, these include blood pressure, pulse, respiration and temperature

W

Wandering
The [seemingly] pointless movement from one place to another

Whistleblowing
Making misconduct known to a higher authority in order that its exposure will bring a halt to the misconduct

X

Y

Z