A homemaker in this definition is always a person who makes a home for at least one
other person. It is never a person living alone. The homemaker is evaluated for her
physical and mental ability to engage in a useful occupation in the community, and
she must also meet the test of being able to carry on homemaking activities. Bending,
stooping, lifting, reaching and carrying are necessary body movements accompanying
cooking, washing, hanging up clothes, ironing, cleaning, making beds, and caring for
children. Shopping for food and supplies, planning and preparing meals are also important
activities in homemaking. The amount of dysfunction of an organ member may dictate
how much of the housekeeping work the person can do, but the disability can be estimated
only in relation to the facilities the individual has to do the work. The size of
the home, the facilities available to care for it as well as the equipment to be maintained
are important items to describe.
If the person's performance standards do not meet the usual quality standards of such
activities or the demands for providing essential services are not met within the
period of time usually taken by such activity, the social worker should describe the
situation clearly. In order to help the SMRT, the social worker should specify that
responsibilities and duties the homemaker can assume:
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d.
whether there are some activities that are left undone
When the homemaker has a psychiatric impairment of any kind including mental retardation,
the worker should describe similar factors and also give information as to what extent
the person needs supervision and who, if anyone, provides it.