HLTAHW034
Provide healthy lifestyle programs and advice


Application

This unit describes the required skills and knowledge to plan, promote, deliver and evaluate a healthy lifestyle program. It requires application of knowledge of nutrition, cultural awareness and an understanding of the dietary, physical and emotional factors that influence healthy lifestyle choices.

This unit applies to those Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers providing a range of primary health care services to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities.

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.


Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Elements define the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria specify the level of performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Prepare for and promote the training program

1.1 Identify characteristics of the participants and recognise their specific learning needs

1.2 Plan a timetable for program delivery and confirm after consultation with all stakeholders

1.3 Identify, arrange and/or order resources in consultation with stakeholders and/or the community

1.4 Present information about the program in a clear and concise manner that is appropriate to the target group and distribute it in a variety of ways

1.5 Select training delivery methods appropriate to the participants’ needs as well as a suitable location and available resources

2. Deliver training in a context appropriate to the community

2.1 Ensure training is delivered in a safe, accessible and culturally secure environment and is based on culturally appropriate practices

2.2 Select appropriate strategies and techniques to check for understanding and facilitate the learning process

2.3 Negotiate training objectives, planned activities and assessment procedures (if applicable) with participants to meet their specific and/or changing needs

2.4 Encourage self-determination and community control to ensure improved healthy lifestyle outcomes

2.5 Ensure confidentiality for all participants

3. Discuss behaviour in relation to diet and exercise

3.1 Address factors that influence weight gain and the concept of energy balance

3.2 Explain basic eating patterns for healthy weight and the disadvantages of quick weight-loss diets

3.3 Discuss the process and stages of, and factors influencing, behaviour change

3.4 Identify barriers to behaviour change and explore realistic solutions

3.5 Explain the benefits of physical activity and discuss common myths about physical activity

3.6 Explain how to develop and set SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely) goals

4. Discuss self-esteem and how it relates to health

4.1 Discuss self-esteem and the factors that influence it

4.2 Describe the effects of low self-esteem

4.3 Explore realistic ways of improving self-esteem

4.4 Review ways of making and maintaining healthy lifestyle changes and weight loss and associated benefits

4.5 Discuss ways of seeking ongoing support to help achieve goals

4.6 Plan activities to provide ongoing support and help to achieve goals

5. Develop participants’ skills in interpreting food labels and shopping to a budget

5.1 Explain how to identify healthy amounts of fat, salt and sugar from food labels

5.2 Discuss how to identify dietary terms and other terms for fat and sugar

5.3 Discuss benefits of budgeting and ways of shopping to get value for money

5.4 Explain the "10 Plan Shopping Guide" for balancing diet and budget and provide opportunities for practice

5.5 Discuss ways of buying food so that the money goes further and compare prices per kilo

5.6 Investigate range of foods available in local store(s) during a shopping tour and read food labels to ascertain nutritional value of particular foods

5.7 Plan healthy meals for one day

6. Provide low-fat cooking exercises

6.1 Discuss ways to cut down on fat and demonstrate low-fat cooking methods

6.2 Explain the healthy eating pyramid and the principles of healthy eating

6.3 Sort foods according to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and describe the elements of a healthy eating plan

6.4 Prepare and cook food using low-fat methods

7. Raise awareness of diabetes

7.1 Explain risk factors for type 2 diabetes

7.2 Address factors involved in type 2 diabetes prevention

7.3 Describe the signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes

7.4 Discuss factors that affect diabetes management and strategies for managing diabetes

7.5 Provide definitions of type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes mellitus

7.6 Describe long- and short-term complications associated with diabetes

8. Review and evaluate the training program

8.1 Obtain feedback about the program, resources used and outcomes achieved from participants and the community

8.2 Encourage participants to self-evaluate and set future personal goals

8.3 Negotiate changes needed in the program with all stakeholders

8.4 Document the program evaluation according to organisational requirements

8.5 Suggest improvements to the program delivery plan to supervisor, other individuals, agencies and communities

8.6 Implement changes to the program delivery plan in consultation with the community and stakeholders as required

Evidence of Performance

The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role.

There must be evidence that the candidate has:

planned for at least one training program to deliver healthy lifestyle information and advice by:

- identifying a target audience for the program

- determining the content of the program, and the timeframes for delivery

- promoting the program through appropriate forums

- securing the location and necessary resources for the program delivery

delivered the training program at least twice by:

- communicating in a culturally appropriate and safe manner at all times with participants

- addressing the needs of individual participants, and the group as a whole

- checking for understanding of individuals, and supporting involvement of the group in training

- providing information about:

o healthy diet, including appropriate intake of specific ingredients such as salt, sugar and fat

o shopping for health food and meal preparation

o dietary guidelines

o diet and self-esteem issues

o preparation of healthy meals

o food labels and nutritional values

o principles of the Australian Dietary Guidelines

o links between diabetes and a healthy lifestyle, and general diabetes awareness

evaluated both healthy lifestyle training programs, customised to address participant and community needs by:

- communicating with individuals, families and communities to identify, establish and maintain lifestyle changes to achieve improved health

- identifying areas and suggesting specific measures for improvement.

documented all aspects of planning, delivery and evaluation of at least one healthy lifestyle training program.


Evidence of Knowledge

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role.

This includes knowledge of:

organisation policies and procedures and legislation or regulations relating to:

- client confidentiality

- referral, including various levels of urgency, and follow-up of clients

- mandatory reporting

- notifiable communicable diseases

- limits of own ability and authority

- reporting procedures

- documentation

nutrition for good health

specific nutritional issues for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities and individuals

Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and the nutrients associated with each food group

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Guide to Healthy Eating

basic eating patterns for healthy weight and factors associated with quick weight-loss diets

benefits and common myths relating to physical activity

processes of behaviour change, including:

- stages of behaviour change

- factors that influence behaviour change

- barriers to behaviour change

nutritional needs of people at different stages in the lifecycle

risk factors associated with common nutrition-related diseases.


Assessment Conditions

Skills must be demonstrated working:

in a health service or centre

as part of a multidisciplinary primary health care team

with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities.

In addition, simulations and scenarios must be used where the full range of contexts and situations cannot be provided in the workplace or may occur only rarely. These are situations relating to emergency or unplanned procedures where assessment in these circumstances would be unsafe or is impractical.

Simulated assessment environments must simulate the real-life working environment where these skills and knowledge would be performed, with all the relevant equipment and resources of that working environment.

Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.

Assessment must be undertaken by a workplace assessor who has expertise in this unit of competency and who is:

an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Worker

or:

accompanied by an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person who is a recognised member of the community with experience in primary health care.


Foundation Skills

The Foundation Skills describe those required skills (language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills) that are essential to performance.

Numeracy

in order to interpret nutritional information, including units in kJ, Cal, g, mg, mcg, percentages and decimals

in order to calculate daily nutritional requirements and energy expenditure of clients and design meal options to meet needs (carbohydrate, fats, protein amounts per meal/ per day)

Other foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit.