Core Competencies
Essential knowledge and skills required for Care Core Plus certified ADS staff training programs.
1. Safety & Emergency Response
Essential Knowledge
- CPR and First Aid certification and basic application
- Emergency evacuation procedures for adult day settings
- Fire safety and emergency preparedness
- Universal precautions and basic infection control
- When and how to call emergency services
Essential Skills
- Demonstrate CPR and First Aid techniques
- Apply universal precautions in daily care
- Recognize and respond to common medical emergencies (choking, falls, cardiac events)
- Use basic safety equipment (fire extinguisher awareness, first aid supplies)
2. Participant Rights & Abuse Prevention
Essential Knowledge
- Participant Bill of Rights
- Types of abuse, neglect, and exploitation
- Mandatory reporting requirements and procedures
- HIPAA basics and confidentiality requirements
- Professional boundaries and appropriate relationships
- Ethical responsibilities toward participants and families
Essential Skills
- Recognize signs of potential abuse or neglect
- Follow reporting procedures for suspected abuse
- Maintain participant confidentiality appropriately
- Demonstrate respectful communication and boundaries
3. Personal Engagement
Essential Knowledge
- Person-centered care principles
- Communication strategies for cognitive impairments
- Cultural sensitivity and diversity awareness
- De-escalation techniques for challenging behaviors
- Family engagement basics
- Strategies for positive caregiver partnerships
Essential Skills
- Use validation and active listening techniques
- Apply basic de-escalation strategies
- Support participant choice and preferences in daily activities
- Plan and facilitate group and individual activities that promote engagement and well-being
- Communicate empathetically with family caregivers while balancing participant confidentiality
4. Personal Care & Health Awareness
Essential Knowledge
- Safe assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs)
- Basic body mechanics and transfer techniques
- Recognizing changes in participant condition
- Medication safety awareness (observation and reporting)
- Nutrition and hydration, including meal assistance basics, dysphagia, and specialized diets
Essential Skills
- Assist with personal care while maintaining dignity
- Use proper body mechanics during transfers and assistance
- Recognize and report significant changes in participant status
- Safely assist with meals and monitor for choking/swallowing issues
- Maintain infection control during personal care activities
- Support participants' nutritional needs in line with individualized care plans
5. Dementia Care Basics
Essential Knowledge
- Overview of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias
- Communication techniques for cognitive impairment
- Common behavioral expressions and responses
- Safety considerations specific to dementia
- Creating supportive environments
Essential Skills
- Use appropriate communication techniques with participants who have dementia
- Apply redirection and validation strategies
- Recognize and respond to common behavioral expressions
- Implement basic safety measures for participants with cognitive impairment
6. Documentation & Professionalism
Essential Knowledge
- Basic documentation requirements and standards
- Incident and accident reporting procedures
- Professional conduct and ethics
- Teamwork and communication with colleagues
- Basic awareness of participant assessments and outcome tracking
Essential Skills
- Complete basic daily documentation accurately
- Report incidents and accidents promptly and thoroughly
- Communicate professionally with interdisciplinary team members
- Maintain appropriate professional boundaries