The regular worker, scheduled for this week is off, which has brought another influx of new home support workers from Beacon Community Services. Funny, how so many claim ‘years of experience’ and yet, it seems like they haven’t a clue on how to handle an old women, of about 120 pounds.
I mean it seems like common sense to me, that a woman of 92 years of age, is not going to be very steady on her feet, and that when faced with a new person helping, she is going to be nervous. Or am I wrong? Is it just that mom is different than most, or is it that the so called ‘years of experience’ really is just a pile of bull?
I don’t get it, but if you are transferring a woman of her age, to a confined space, and who is unsteady, would you not want to be in close contact with her? Would you not want to have obstructions in between you and her? AND yet, that is exactly what many of these so called, seasoned home support workers do. They try to get her to stand up, with a wheelchair in between them and Mom. Makes no sense, least to me.
Then too, a woman who is unsteady, has brittle bones (osteoporosis), should be handled differently than say someone my age, or David’s. Surely when having her stand, you want her to hold onto something other than you? ESPECIALLY if you are going to be using your hands to accomplish some task, like pulling up her depends, or washing her. Why would you have her stand, holding onto you, when you can’t support her weight if she becomes unbalanced?
This is my worry, and when NEW workers come to the home, it is not a relief for me, it is not a break for me, and in fact the ramifications are serious. It tires her out, adds to her nervousness, to her feelings of being of a burden, and that can take days to mitigate. HOW IS THAT HELPING HER OR ME?
Again, it seems to come down to simple economics. Old People are no longer viable contributors to the economics of the country, they are a burden so we do not seem to care enough, to insure they receive proper care. HOWEVER, the reality is, they DID contribute, for many years, and now are in need of assistance. IN ADDITION, the costs of improper care, are increased hospital visits, increased costs in medical services, that could be avoided. A hell of a lot cheaper to deal with issues in home, than in a hospital setting.
Never mind the simple reality of life, that we ourselves will eventually reach that time in our life, when we too, will not be contributors, financially to society. HOW WILL WE FEEL WHEN WE ARE LEFT TO THE MERCY OF UNTRAINED, UNCARING, INEXPERIENCED, PERSONNEL?