Maybe someone out there can explain it to me. Is a schedule, in this instance, supposed to be a list of home support workers, that are assigned to a Patient? Is it not supposed to help insure that the Patient KNOWS who is coming into their home?
OBVIOUSLY that IS NOT what it means to BCS (Beacon Community Services).
The week from hell continues, with the game of WHO IS COMING TODAY. When the schedule came out Monday (Nov 8 2010) Valerie was the scheduled worker for today, Friday (Nov 12 2010) On Wednesday it changed to unfilled, then changed to show Natalie was to attend Friday.
It remained Natalie, as of last night, but hey, come Friday morning, it magically was once more altered, to show Colleen. And that is who showed up.
Is it any wonder, that every single day, I field questions from my 93 year old Mother, on who is supposed to come tomorrow? She, like me, is shell shocked at how the schedule is never set, is always in a state of flux, and who is listed as the one attending, is often times changed at the last minute.
This inconsistent care, creates a climate of fear, that makes her worry, that adds stress to my own life, to the point where I often wake up two or three times at night, wondering who is going to arrive in the morning. Instead of having a peaceful cup of coffee at 7:30AM I am checking the blasted schedule right up until just before 9AM, to see who is going to arrive.
It makes for a stressful start to the day.
The real downside, the risky side, is that as a result, Mom does not get a shower, but a sponge bath. Under normal circumstances, that should not be an issue, but it is. Most of the substitute workers are incapable of properly washing & drying her groin area. This results in her pesky infection flaring up, AND THAT takes about 2 to 3 days to get back under control [ assuming regular workers arrive ]
When the infection flares up, it becomes painful for her to walk, at times to even sit (when it really flares up) which means she isn’t willing to go to the bathroom, when she should. This means more depend changes, which also acerbates her condition. It also leads to more laundry.
Between the added stress of wondering WHO will show up, and IMPROPER CARE, (by those who do show up), does not lead to OPTIMAL CARE, and is leading to increased health costs. IF staff were trained properly, it would not result in added risk to a NINETY THREE YEAR OLDS HEALTH.
TOO BAD BCS & VIHA ARE NOT INTERESTED IN PROVIDE QUALIFIED CARE TO SENIORS.