Read the case study, then answer the questions that follow.
Case study:
Aaron is undergoing rehabilitation from a serious motor cycle accident and his support worker Sandro has arrived at Aaron’s unit at the usual time to take him down to the gym and rehabilitation centre. Aaron lives alone; he is separated from his wife and two children.
Sandro is surprised to find Aaron sitting at the breakfast table, next to an untouched plate of toast, filing papers into neat pile and making notes. He is overdressed for the warm weather in a long-sleeved shirt. Since he has been supporting Aaron, Sandro usually finds him unshaven in his pyjamas surrounded by dirty plates and drinking cold coffee. Often Aaron just grunts and barely looks up but this morning he greets Sandro in a relaxed manner and tells him he’s not quite ready yet as he’s been ‘organising his life’. Sandro comments that it’s good to see – normally the breakfast table in buried under rubbish and magazines and unopened mail.
‘Well it’s not fair to make anyone clean up my junk’, Aaron answers.
‘Like who?’ Sandro says as he flicks through a scarification magazine. ‘You getting a flatmate in?’
‘No,’ says Aaron. ‘It’s just time I got things sorted.’
Sandro notices a row of pill jars assembled on the window sill. ‘Tidied up the medicine cabinet too?’ he asks.
‘Something like that,’ Aaron replies.
‘Seriously,’ says Sandro, ‘why the clean-up?’
‘It’s just time,’ says Aaron matter-of-factly. ‘Kids are coming for their last visit tomorrow; they hate the place messy.’
‘Last visit?’ Sandro asks.
‘For a while. The missus is taking them down the coast next week.’
Sandro walks over to the sink and picks up one of the medicine jars. Underneath he finds a razor blade. The label identifies them as sleeping tablets; the jar feels full. So does the next one he picks up.
‘Aaron,’ Sandro says, ‘are you going to be here next week, when I come by?’
‘I don’t reckon,’ says Aaron.
‘You planning to neck all these pills?’
Aaron’s smiles.
‘You can’t do it, mate.’ Sandro says.
‘Didn’t say I was,’ says Aaron.
Sandro picks up all the pill jars from the window sill, as well as the razor blade. He suggests that Aaron try to organise a conversation with his psychologist, rather than doing his rehabilitation session.
- What are two (2) signs that Aaron has a safety issue and how should Sandro respond?
- What are two (2) signs that indicate Aaron may be considering suicide?
- What are two (2) signs that indicate Aaron may be self-harming?
- What has Aaron said that suggests he has a safety issue?
- What nonverbal or behavioural indicators has Aaron shown that suggests he has a safety issue?
- Provide two (2) examples of questions that Sandro should ask Aaron about safety issues.
- Imagine Aaron suddenly takes out a knife and places the blade against their wrist. What immediate action should Sandro take based on the organisation’s procedures?
- How has Sandro facilitated this emergency intervention?
- How has Sandro addressed the safety concerns?
- Provide two (2) legal and/or ethical obligations that Sandro needs to consider relating to duty of care.
