# Check-out notes: how to write a great note

> Our Members and their families love the Five Good Friends app Itrsquos feature rich and contains everything needed to collaborate on a Memberrsquos sche

Source: https://helper-support.fivegoodfriends.com.au/en_us/checkout-notes-how-to-write-a-great-note-BJ3P7B6zj

Last updated: 2026-06-09T05:08:03.948Z

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## How do I leave a check-out note in the app?

**Check-in:** When you arrive for your visit, open the app and check in.

**Check-out:** When you're ready to leave, press Check-out. 

After checking-out of every visit you will be asked: "Have you noticed a change or do you have any concerns?"

1.  **Select Yes** if you have a concern and enter your note. We'll cover what to include later.
2.  **Select No** if there are no concerns

**Additional reporting:** If you answered No, you’ll be asked: "Is there anything else you want to report?"

1.  **Select Yes** and enter your note.
2.  **Select No** to finish the check-out.

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## What should I write about in a check-out note?

Check-out notes can include any changes you observed in the Member, their life, health or home. 

### Check-out notes should cover:

1.  **Changes in the Member:** Any observations about their physical or emotional well-being.
2.  **Health updates:** Changes in health status, including feedback from medical appointments.
3.  **Behavioral concerns:** Any notable behaviors or changes in activity levels.
4.  **Home environment:** Observations about the Member’s home, including any issues or changes.
5.  **Dietary and medication support:** Notes on dietary needs, medication assistance, and any related issues.

### Why regular notes matter:

Even if no significant change occurs, it’s important to document routine details. Regular notes help us understand what is "normal" for a Member, which is important for monitoring their overall wellbeing.

#### Using the W's for Writing Notes:

To create effective check-out notes, consider the following:

1.  **Where:** Where did the observation or event take place?
2.  **When:** When did it happen?
3.  **What:** What occurred and how did you respond?
4.  **Why:** Why did it happen?
5.  **How:** How did it happen?

These details help provide a complete picture of the Member's experience and support their care effectively.

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## Areas of observation

When writing check-out notes, consider including the following types of observations:

### Emotional wellbeing, mood, cognition, and mental health

Example: John mentioned he’s been feeling anxious this week and has made an appointment with his psychologist. I noticed his face looked pale and his hands were clammy.

### Changes in behaviour or behaviours of concern

Example: Mary has been in bed since my arrival at 11 am for the past two weeks. She usually starts her day early and often goes for a walk. Mary said she’s been feeling tired and prefers to stay in bed.

### Mobility

Example: I observed that John was unsteady on his feet today and needed to hold onto my arm while we went shopping.

### Personal care and appearance

Example: Mary wore the same clothes as yesterday and mentioned she hasn’t showered for a few days.

### Skin integrity

Example: John has a 2 cm cut on his left hand that appears red and bruised. He mentioned he bumped it against the fence while gardening yesterday and hasn’t applied first aid. I suggested seeing his GP, but he declined.

### Appetite, meals, and diet

Example: John hadn’t eaten the dinner I left for him yesterday. I cleaned out his fridge today, finding out-of-date food and several uneaten meals. John said he hasn’t felt like eating much recently.

### Goals progress

Example: Today, I assisted Mary in signing up for a painting class at the local community centre. She expressed a desire to meet new people and learn to paint.

### Hazards and safety

Example: The garden tap on the left side of the house is leaking, causing the path to be continually wet and a slip hazard.

**Note:** For roster changes, call-back requests, or time-off requests, please contact the care team directly using the details in the app instead of using check-out notes.

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## Using appropriate language for check-out notes

When writing check-out notes, remember that these are part of a person’s health record and will be reviewed by other Helpers assisting the Members. Check-out notes may also be reviewed by other health professionals or auditors, accessed through a Request for Information, or if required by a government department or under subpoena. 

It’s important to remember that check out notes are not intended to be shared with or read aloud to Members. If a Member wishes to access information held by FGF, this would occur through the privacy policy and formal Request for Information process, so always be respectful and considerate, as if it were your own or a loved one’s record. 

Consider: What is the note about, and how would you want your personal information shared?

### Guidelines for writing notes:

### Be objective and factual

1.  Base your notes on observable facts and events. Describe what actually happened without personal interpretation or emotion.
2.  Use phrases like: “I noticed,” “I observed,” “I found,” “I identified,” “I witnessed,” “I saw,” “I monitored.”

### Avoid subjective language

1.  Refrain from including personal opinions, emotions, assumptions, or speculative statements.
2.  Avoid phrases like: “I believe,” “I presume,” “I felt,” “I thought,” “I suppose,” “I guessed,” “I figured.”

### Maintain professionalism

1.  Keep language concise, professional, and respectful.
2.  Avoid using emojis or slang, unless recording a Member’s exact words.

### Use age-appropriate language

Tailor your language to suit the Member’s age and circumstances. For example:

1.  Instead of “I changed John’s nappy,” say “I assisted John with changing his incontinence aid.”
2.  Instead of “John had a tantrum about the TV and stormed off,” say “John expressed frustration about the TV being broken. He requested to be alone and stayed in his room for 10 minutes.”

By following these guidelines, you ensure that your check-out notes are clear, professional, and respectful, supporting the Member’s care effectively.

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## What happens with my check-out notes?

Every time you finish a visit, the secure notes you leave about any changes or observations about a Member are analysed by our remote care monitoring system Lookout™.

Five Good Friends receive over 13,000 check-out notes each month. Not every note is manually read by a person, and we utilise the power of Lookout to analyse the notes and escalate them with the care team, whose notes require follow-up. This allows us to focus our energy on where help is most needed.

You can alert the care team by ticking the ****'Alert the Care Manager about this note'**** box, automatically raising an observation for the care team to investigate.

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## What difference can a note make?

The check-out note identifies Members who may need more proactive care. The information is then presented to trained Five Good Friends health professionals who make assessments. It means we can pick up changes and identify potential problems earlier than traditional providers.

It may lead to Members requiring extra help or deciding to make important changes to the Help Plan.

It is why it is so important for you to leave detailed notes and visit ratings when you checkout after your visit with a Member.

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## A great check-out note can:

1.  **Report in behaviour/mood and cognition can lead to:** a GP review, mental health care plan, counselling, increased visits from Helpers or family and friends. Increased funding, if eligible.
2.  **Report changes in pain/mobility/hazards can lead to:** Physio sessions for falls prevention and strength balance exercises. OT assessment, falls alarm, pain management and medication review by a GP 
3.  **Report changes in appetite/weight loss can lead to:** Clinical review from Community Nurse, meal delivery service or extra visits for meal prep.
4.  **Report happy stories/great visits:** Helps build a baseline for the Member and we can also share these with family and friends via our Shared Notebook feature in the App. 

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## Examples of great check-out notes

### Mary's story

Helper Kate reported in her check-out note that Mary, who is legally blind, was missing medications as she couldn't see them clearly. The care team arranged for a tablet timer where all medications are now stored in a separate compartment, and a timer alerts when they are due. Mary was able to continue administering her medications independently and safely.

### Claire's story

Helper Sarah wrote in her check-out note that Claire was experiencing pain on her side. This alerted the care team in real time, who then organised for another Helper to visit in the afternoon and take her to the GP. When the Helper arrived, Claire's health had deteriorated further, and the Helper called an ambulance. Claire was admitted to the hospital and received swift treatment. Claire is now home and recovering. Sarah's detailed Check-out Note, completed in real-time, allowed the care team to intervene early, resulting in the best outcome for Claire.

Remember, as a Helper, you are the eyes and ears in a member's home; your notes are important and make a real difference in the quality of care. We use and act on them and are grateful for your efforts in recording them.

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## Important note 

### As per Section 12 of the Brokerage Agreement, Helpers must follow the following steps:

*   Upon completion of each visit, the Helper is to check-out via the App and confirm the duration of the visit, any kilometres travelled during the visit (if applicable), and leave relevant or requested notes and feedback.
*   Upon completing this check-out process, the App will generate an invoice from the Helper to the Member’s nominated funder.
*   Each week, the App will generate a summary of the Helper’s invoices for the previous one-week period for the Member or Authorised Representative.
*   The Helper must advise Five Good Friends as soon as they become aware of any error pertaining to their check-out time, duration, or rate via the method specified by Five Good Friends. Any errors resulting in an underpayment to the Helper must be notified within 14 days of the fortnight ending within which the visit occurred.