Simple, ASK ME!
You know, it really isn’t fair, to the worker, to mother, to me, to be sent in cold to a place. AND yet, that is what happens when you send a substitute in, without giving them any information on what is expected of them, of what they are about to face.
Beacon Community Services needs a real lesson in how to manage the care they provide. VIHA needs to have their procedures examined, and CORRECTED, before they endanger more people.
First off, a substitute needs to be told what condition their patient is in, what medical realities they have, so as to not assume that a 92 year old, can do what a bloody 50 year old can. Such as standing, without anyone near by, or walking with a walker, without anyone standing behind.
They need to know if the Patient has sensitive skin, has brittle bones, and other conditions that determine HOW ONE HOLDS THEM, HOW ONE TOUCHES THEM. Yet Beacon Community Services ignores that, and okay, they have thousands to deal with, but what about the actual worker?
Why can’t the worker, BEFORE THEY START, ask me? After all, I am the one who let them in, I am the primary caregiver, so I should know, shouldn’t I?
The GOOD ONES do ask, but today’s worker was here a few months back, so I guess she figures she is able to figure it out. WRONG! Things change, the strength, the conditions, all change, but this one knows it all, and instead of asking me, is asking a 92 year old, who can’t hear well, who doesn’t talk well, who’s thought process gets a bit confused at times, but hey, this worker knows better.
SHE DOESN’T NEED TO ASK ME. BULLSHIT!
It isn’t all that complicated, tedious perhaps, but not complicated. So why do these women do this? Why make it more stressful, when common sense should rule, should tell them, “hey this is a new situation, let me ask the fat guy who let me in, what the routine is” but no, that might be a sign of something. I don’t know what, but I was taught, if you don’t know something, YOU ASK SOMEONE!
And next week, we get three days of substitutes, if not four days.
I Must Be Dense
I really must be, as we have a new worker this morning and I am listening in, and really, have to wonder, where does Beacon find these people? How can they send them into a home, when they don’t have a clue?
Yes, you do need to remove the night clothing before beginning a sponge bath, especially when fresh one is laid out for you to use.
No, you are not here to supervise a 92 year old from washing her own feet, body. The whole reason you are here, is to ASSIST HER IN DOING WHAT SHE IS NO LONGER ABLE TO DO.
Least that is how I would look at it. Or am I perhaps, dense?
Do I have it wrong, and people request workers to watch them clean themselves? Do they have home support because, well gee, they can do the job of washing up, but are too lazy to do it?
So far we have about twelve (12) ’stand up now’ for a lady that needs a walker to move around, who is unsteady on her feet along with a weakened arm strength. She has been here before, when Mom had the cast on, and I am almost certain I kicked her out, or at least complainted about not sending her again.
Problem is, they sent so many INCOMPETENT WORKERS it is very hard to keep track of them all. Now who knows, so I am at a loss, but I know I’ll be dealing with this for the rest of the day, and longer. That is the major complication of things like this, it doesn’t just end when the worker leaves, but festers, and becomes a huge distraction for Mom, which translates into a more stressful time for me. I have to calm her down.
BUT WHO CALMS ME DOWN?
Erosion of Resistence
I wonder, if the real goal behind all the red tape, all the delay tactics, by Government, is simply to wear a person down? Do they care, that they endanger people’s health, by their refusal to treat people with dignity? Do they care, that one day, they too will be in their nineties, and possibly in need of help or support?
WE ARE RUNNING OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AS A BUSINESS, INSTEAD OF IT BEING A NECESSARY PART OF LIFE.
Adrian Dix is the health critic for the provincial NDP, and still no reply from him, on the policies his party have, in regards to private contracts, or health care.
Ida Jong, our Liberal MLA, has decided, apparently, that the issue of private contracts has been settled, because Beacon Community Services agreed to provide regular health workers, and so to her, it seems the fire is out.
The Times Colonist has yet to reply, despite already having a reporter looking into the growing issue of complaints about Beacon Community Services, and the VIHA contract to them.
Strange isn’t it, until you realize:
ITS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY, NOT THE PEOPLE.
Standards are Bad
Myself, I believe we are lowering our standards, simply out of convenience. I don’t know, not everyone can score a 100% on a test, but I was taught by mom & dad, to go out and do my best, whatever that was. If I got a 40%, that is what I got. They also taught me, that I should always strive to improve, so that if I did get a 40%, I should try to better that next time around.
It wasn’t easy then, still isn’t easy, because life is always grading you.
The more I reflect on the meeting of September 3rd with VIHA & BEACON, the more pissed I am. I mean, they didn’t like me hovering, checking on the care being given to Mom, but shouldn’t that actually be a standard practice? TO HOVER that is.
THINK ABOUT IT FOR A SECOND » A government agency, responsible for health care, sends you a person to aid in the help for a senior citizen. Those people being sent, are from a private firm, not the actual government agency. WHY ARE WE EXPECTED TO AUTOMATICALLY ASSUME THESE PEOPLE ARE PROPERLY TRAINED?
Now I don’t know, but when you hire a new employee in the work force, there is a period called PROBATIONARY, in which anyone new is automatically place on. It is during that time, that the employer has an opportunity to observe the new worker, to insure they are going to be able to do the job, they were hired for.
Stores will add to these new worker’s nametag, ‘TRAINEE’ and usually there is a supervisor or trained experienced worker with them, to help them if difficulties arise. Not only that, but most major business firms, will have staff go in, as customers, to test the service being given by their employees, both new and old.
SO HOW COME I CAN’T DO THAT FOR MY MOTHER?
I would think that any company, committed to giving home support, would be supportive of any family member, who will check on the staff being sent, to insure they know the basics. I mean, by my HOVERING, I know I have prevented some accidents from occurring. I KNOW IT, and yet somehow, according to VIHA & BEACON, that is unimportant. It is a distraction, it isn’t helping the workers.
WELL HERE IS A NEWS FLASH FOR VIHA & BEACON - MY OBJECTIVE IS TO PROTECT THE WELFARE OF MY MOTHER NOT YOUR WORKERS.
An Exchange of Words
Last Thursday (September 3 2009) we were graced by the presence of a representative of VIHA and Beacon Community Services, in an effort to determine the best course of care for Mother. At their suggestion, the meeting took place at 9:30am, which is still a bit of a mystery to me. I mean they knew Mom was having a worker from 9am till 10am, so was it an attempt to meet with me only, and not mother?
Am I being paranoid? Perhaps, but I think I have reason to be cautious.
However that plan, if it was one, didn’t work out, as Mom came out, & rather than having her breakfast, she chose to sit in on the meeting. Judging from the faces, I kind of think they weren’t expecting that. Even at 92, Mom is a force to be reckoned with, when need be.
Apparently one of the concerns, was my temper, and my looming presence when a worker is here. Interesting to note, that yes I do have a temper, but have kept it in check, except for one explosion with Ms.Donaldson, at Beacon on last Monday (August 31 2009) when I simply had enough. It followed my asking that morning’s home support worker to leave. I wasn’t shouting, wasn’t loud or even in her face, and how, I have no idea, but I did control myself, until she was gone.
I suppose in some way, they may have been here on a fishing expedition, to try and find some valid reason to have refused service, or to limit my role in the care of my mother. I don’t really know, because to be honest, I don’t believe much was accomplished, in addressing the overall question, regarding the quality of care being provided from VIHA, through the private firm, Beacon Community Services.
As for my looming presence, my hovering over the worker, while she is attending to mother, it is true. Now, I won’t argue that, because the fact is, I do indeed hover, though I would characterize it more of being vigilant.
The issue is, when a new worker arrives to help mother, I need to know that they can do the job, and given my experience with the level of care being supplied, I need to be on guard. In all honesty, we have had more DUDS than NOT. AND THAT IS NOT CONDUSIVE TO ME WANTING TO STEP AWAY (as mentioned by the VIHA representative, numerous times).
If a person is capable of doing the job, then YES I do step away, step back and sit down to have a hot cup of coffee, or to just unwind on the balcony. Unfortunately those moments were not often enough, instead my place was in the hallway, making sure that care was being taken with Mom. Often I had to step in, to help lift mom up and into the transport chair, as the ’so called home support worker’ was incapable of properly doing that task.
If it makes them nervous, well, as I said to VIHA, TOUGH.
