Substitute Workers
It happens, a home support worker is off, for whatever reason, and a substitute worker is sent in her place. Nothing unusual about that, and common in the industry, and other professions as well.
I can remember having many substitute teachers when I went to school, and sure, we managed to pull a few fast one’s over them, but not too many. After all, they had been briefed and knew the lesson plan so it wasn’t easy to fool them, too much. Still, they did ALWAYS have the basics, which brings me to substitutes for Home Support Workers.
Last week, this week, and next week, we shall be inundated with replacement workers, substitutes. And now the worry commences, thanks to the lack of professionalism, not just from Beacon Community Services, but from VIHA itself.
The level of confidence, that a qualified worker will show up, is minimal, at best.
Under normal circumstances, one can muddle through, but when there is a situation, that has to be monitored, or watched closely, the stress levels become greatly increased. I think that VIHA fails to understand the ramifications of their inability to insure that ONLY QUALIFIED PERSONNEL are sent into people’s homes.
Mom has developed a few skin tears, in the groin region, right where the depends lay. The band, has caused some abrasion along the line, making the skin raw, at best. Extra care needs to be taken, to insure comfort as well as protection. I’ve contacted our Doctor, but tomorrow we get a substitute. And so the worry has begun.
Maybe it will be needless, but given the past history, I tend to doubt that. AND THAT is why VIHA needs to be protecting the patients. THEY need to actually check on the staff being sent out, on the qualifications of these people, not just accept the word of the agency they have contracted to do the job. THEY NEED to verify that EACH & EVERY PERSON SENT TO A PATIENT IS QUALIFIED TO DO THE JOB.
Yet, despite my own constant complaints to them, to Beacon, the answers are exactly the same. Oh don’t worry, we know they are qualified, yet we have proof, that this is a lie. No way can someone who can’t understand or speak English, can effectively have gone through any local training, to attest to their qualifications. It is impossible to pass any test, if you can’t understand the language.
By far, this is not an easy job, just as teaching isn’t. Yet no substitute is hired to teach our children, if they don’t have government certified credentials, that are verified, before they can accept a teaching assignment. Yet we allow UNVERIFIED PERSONNEL to go into people’s home, and administer care to them, without knowing if they are properly trained or not.
THIS IS WRONG & DANGEROUS !
There is no doubt, that it is more costly to do things the right way, than not, in overall costs. However, I would say, it actually is far more costly doing things the wrong way, doing things on the cheap, when it comes to Health Care, than doing them right. And yes, that includes allowing only qualified personnel to care for patients, in their homes.
The problem is, we don’t seem to care about that anymore. Old people are expendable, at the end of their productive cycle, so why spend money on them, when it can be allocated to other areas, to the more vibrant. Truth of the matter is, one day we are going to be those older people, and we sure as hell won’t enjoy being tossed aside, for some younger person. We ignore that reality, that becoming old is inevitable, and that it is actually cheaper, to provide proper care now, than to wait for a crisis to arise.
Cheaper to insure a person’s infections are treated now with over the counter cremes, than having to run high potency drugs through an IV later on. Cheaper now to insure a patient is dry, before dressing, than having to deal with skin breakdowns later, to deal with infections, all because we sent someone who doesn’t know how to clean an older person properly.
These hidden costs can break our entire system, by skimping on the quality of people we send into homes, to care for our elderly. You can’t do this, and save money, because the reality is, it is going to cost a lot more.
Not enough old people will die quickly from this half assed in home care. So the costs will indeed grow, and that is a mathematical certainty. Better to have old people stay as healthy as possible, instead of creating crisis situations, that take up the valuable resources of emergency personnel.
Now I Don’t Talk Enough
Ever had those days, when nothing you do seems to please, or is enough?
I think this is one of them, in a growing long line of them, which makes me question, if I can survive this? I wonder too, how it impacts David, and yet I can’t dwell on that, or on how I feel so exhausted, an hour or less, after waking up. It is almost like a conspiracy, to deny a moment’s peace, and yet, I still believe, that it is the right thing.
Like today’s worker, Yvette. Nice lady, competent too, or so I thought, but frankly the last couple of visits, leaves me wondering. And it has an impact on Mom too. I mean how can you put depends on a person, and leave them at half mast? Then you spend extra time, discussing how shoddy things are in the world, I mean it is becoming very confusing.
I think too, the lack of communication with others, is taking its toll. Not just on me, but on Mom. Now she says I don’t talk enough, yet each time I ask her if she is okay, if she wants something, or get up and get myself a drink, she doesn’t even look up from her book, at times. Yet I am not talking enough.
There is no book on this stuff, least not one that isn’t clinical, and speaks from the heart. I mean, this isn’t easy when you have a deep emotional connection, with the other. And let’s face it, she is dying. I hate to think that, but it is reality, simply because of her age. I mean she doesn’t have 20 or 30 years ahead of her. That is reality, but where is it written on how to cope with it?
Yes, it makes me angry, scared too, but there is no one to discuss it with, to talk it over with, who isn’t going to respond with the age old reply: “well the older they get…” which infuriates me. I know things break down, but all a guy wants, is someone to understand, not pass judgement, not render sage words of wisdom from on high. I can read the bible for that, but yet, I don’t know.
This is not easy, that is about the only constant I can see here, that it isn’t easy, nor will it get easier, or better. Things will get worse, and that scares me.
Question for Beacon & VIHA
IF you are sending QUALIFIED STAFF into people’s homes, as replacements, or as fill in’s, don’t you think they should be able to KNOW BEFOREHAND what their responsibilities are?
Surely there is a Patient Profile available, that they can check, to see what condition their PATIENTS ARE IN, BEFORE ARRIVING. I mean it would make sense, to provide their temporary replacements with SOME INFORMATION.
BUT I guess that is asking too much from two organizations, that have only one concern. KEEPING COSTS DOWN, MAKING MONEY OR IN THE CASE OF VIHA, MAKING THE BUDGET.
You know, it really shouldn’t matter if a person has brittle bones, or has tender skin, they should ALWAYS BE TREATED GENTILY. I mean, how else do you treat a person of 92 years of age? Why would you assume they can handle being treated like a 50 year old or a 20 year old?
Most who rely on these services, do so because they are unable to fend for themselves. Mom can’t wash herself properly, that is why they are here. Kind of makes sense that IF her mobility is limited, her use of hands are limited, that one would take care in lifting them up, in moving them.
Of course, I am assuming that the staff being sent in, is Qualified. However, going on to six months or more, I can honestly say that if these people are qualified, it isn’t for looking after the elderly, nor is it even for simply making a bed. Granted, A FEW are Qualified, like Wanda, Tracy, Yvette, and Arlene, and maybe they have others too, but not from those who have been sent here, over the last few months.
And where is VIHA on this? It is like they give out a contract, and once that is done, they seem to disappear from the scene. In fact, I wonder, do they ever check on the patients under their care, to see if the help THEY have ordered, is up to standard? Do they even check the certificates or to see if they even have any certificates? OR DO THEY JUST ACCEPT THE WORD OF BEACON OFFICIALS?
I really wonder, if Government today cares one bit about older people. Hell, I wonder if they care about any of the people, who elect them. I know that the staff that have come to our home, may have certificates of training, but I think that the majority were absent for the classes, and only showed up to collect their certificates. Either that, or they simply do not care about their patients.
IF VIHA TODAY & BEACON COMMUNITY SERVICES ARE A SIGN OF THE FUTURE IN HEALTH CARE, THEN I HOPE I PASS AWAY WITHOUT BEING UNDER THEIR CARE, I DON’T DO SUFFERING WELL.
Price of Inconsistent Care
Granted, scheduling multiple workers, for numerous patients, some only on a temporary basis, is not simple or easy. After all you have to take into account the experience levels, the type of care being required by the worker, as well as seniority & location, but it is a doable task. Naturally that assumes that you have sufficient workers, that you have qualified staff at all levels, with appropriate skills for the needed tasks.
Beacon Community Services seems to have none of that.
In approximately six weeks of twice daily service, where I cannot even begin to count the number of workers that have shown up here, one has to assume that they simply DO NOT have the right schedulign personnel, or programs, or simply DO NOT care about their Patients, but are only concerned with meeting their basic contract requirements.
Which brings up the question, exactly what are those terms in the contract?
With workers showing up twice a day, seven days a week, you would assume that it would simply be a matter of assigning one to three people for each shift. In other words, you get a person who is available, for four or three days, at that time, and assign them to ONE SINGLE PATIENT.
That Assumes You Care About Quality of Service.
Old people are not easy, that is a given. In addition, routine is very important to them, so it would make sense, that if you truly cared about them, you would move heaven & earth to insure they had some sort of consistent care. THAT MEANS REGULAR WORKERS NOT A CONSTANT INFLUX OF NEW FACES & PERSONALITIES.
It would be nice too, if workers were INFORMED of the care plan, which is in place, and that when those plans are changed, altered, THEY ARE UPDATED.
AGAIN, something Beacon Community Services isn’t very good at.
YET, I think the whole situation is not just letting the blame lie on a corporate entity, but on the Government Agency that actually CONTRACTS THIS WORK OUT. It would seem to me, that some form of OVERSIGHT would be in order, and yet from I have seen IN NEALRY SIX WEEKS, there really isn’t any.
NO ONE from VIHA has bothered to call, never mind show up, to check on the quality of service, even though there have been several complaints made about that service. It boggles my mind, to think of how UNCARING VIHA is in doing it duty.
The price of all this, is added stress to everyone involved. That includes the personnel from Beacon, from VIHA but more importantly, the PATIENT HIS/HERSELF. As well, it is the stress that is added to the 24/7 caregiver.
Do you know what it is like, to sit and wonder if someone will show up, or if they do, who it will be? Oh sure, they have a schedule you can check, but that doesn’t guarantee that it’ll be the person listed, who shows up. Then too, there is the time factor. A person may be scheduled for 9AM, but Beacon has until 1PM to have someone show up.
In other words, it is like the Cable Guy. Be home between Noon & 4PM as someone will eventually show up.
I don’t know how others handle this. For myself, for mother, it is a tough and arduous situation. It has even reached the point where she is asking me, would I mind helping her wash her private region, so as to simply avoid the stress of incompetent staff, of incomplete washing, of being rushed, and of rough handling. AND THAT IS JUST AFTER SIX WEEKS !
HOW IS THIS HOME SUPPORT?
Difficult or Caring?
After yesterday, it seems to me that when you care about someone, about the care they are receiving from others, you become a ‘difficult‘ client. Myself, I prefer the word “Patient” to “Client” but it makes it easier for those in power, to “CANCEL” needed services for people, without remorse, or twang of conscience.
Am I Difficult?
I suppose it depends on how you look at it. If a person cares, and refuses to accept unqualified support help, does that make them difficult, or simply caring?
If a person objects to a 92 year old being man handled, because it might cause broken bones, or other serious health injuries, such as undue stress, does that make them difficult, or simply caring?
If a person steps in, to help a 92 year old with a cast on her arm, get out of bed, into a transport chair, so she doesn’t fall flat on her face, while the worker tries to have her do it on her own, is that being difficult, or simply caring?
if a patient is being washed, and has spent the night in a pair of depends, and instead of removng the soiled undergarments, you proceed to wash them, and you step in, to have those soiled items removed, as soon as possible, is that being difficult, or simply caring?
Think about it for a second. If your job is to help clean a person, after they’ve been sleeping, does it not make more sense to remove the soiled clothing, all of it, before commencing to clean them up?
Would you like to sit in wet undergarments, soaked with your own urine and feces, while someone is slapping moisturizing lotion on your back, after pushing and pulling your body around?
Everyone has their own way to do things, but you know, there is such a thing as common sense. You do not let a person remain in soiled undergarments, clothing, for any length of time. To begin with, it irritates the skin, never mind the stress it creates for that person. When your skin isn’t in the best of shape to begin with, having it coated in urine for any added length of time, is simply irresponsible.
So am I being Difficult? Or simply caring?
Seems to me, that when you fail to even notify a patient, that you won’t be providing any service, or that it will be interrupted, you are deliberately attempting to force people to remain silent, when their are issues with the quality of care. When you CREATE a climate of uncertainty, you are adding to the stress load for the Patient, as well as for their 24/7 caregiver.
So if one objects to that, is that being difficult, or simply caring?
