My Mother's Life Dedicated to the Only Woman I'll Love, My Mother.

I don’t get it. Why do substitute workers seem to think that they have been here before, when the fact is, they haven’t been?  I mean is it that all patients they tend to, look alike? Or What?

Today’s substitute worker, Nancy, insists she has been here before, but in the afternoon. Which would mean that this goes back about a year, and that could be true.

I suppose that it is possible, that before Mom broke her wrist, that today’s substitute was one of her workers. I do vaguely recall one, that would come on Friday’s, to help her with her twice weekly shower.

And yet, while she may have been the worker then, a lot has changed since then. People of Mom’s age have issues, yet once again Beacon Community Services sends in people ill informed.

This is one of my major issues with how both the Government [ VIHA ] and the outsourced agencies [ Beacon Community Services ] treat the elderly.  They may have staff that is trained, however if one is unaware of conditions, or changes in situations, how can they properly attend to the needs of the Patient?

You can’t expect to come in cold, and ASSUME things are no different, than when you were last here.  AND to be honest, if you were here a year back, can you really remember all the details?

Sure, you may remember a face, the house, the generalities, but do you remember she has brittle bones?  I doubt it, because the diagnosis wasn’t confirmed until after you were here, so once more, trained or not, you are not up to speed.   Even the so called ‘YELLOW BOOK’ that these workers are supposed to check, is not up to date.  NOR do they use it for what it is intended for, which is to alert other workers of conditions.

All that gets written into the book, is bathed, changed, all a-okay.   Like that helps, and despite having an infection, no mention is in the infamous yellow book.   No mention that the groin area is tender, and needs a very soft touch.

So who is at fault for this?

Is it me, the Primary Caregiver, or is it the Agency who is sending these people to my home? Is it VIHA for not following up on the service they are paying for?

My job is hard enough, and for many, too hard. I question myself often enough, and that is with a bond to the Patient. She is my Mother, after all.  These workers have no bond, no incentive buy wages & benefits, or so it seems.  Workers to our home, get an hour to perform some pretty basic stuff, a wash, dressing, and that is about it.  Yet the good workers, take their time, always get out in time to go to the next assignment, but Mom doesn’t feel rushed.   THAT IS WHAT A TRAINED WORKER CAN DO.

On the flip side, those who are HOUSEKEEPERS INSTEAD OF BEING HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, don’t provide that kind of service.  Mom winds up feeling rushed, the job is not done carefully or properly.  I’ve had to redo the washing several times, or if I miss out on noticing, the result is the infection returns.  The discomfort returns, which means I wind up doing more to ease her, have to get the Doctor in to tend to the result.

Yet it is to prevent that, which is why we first started with this type of in home care. I couldn’t help Mom properly clean her private regions.  After all,  I am a guy.  Yet it seems many of these woman, don’t care enough to insure that what they are there to do, is done right & completely.

To get Mom ready for bed, it takes me on the average 20 minutes. And that doesn’t take into account washing her or anything but getting her changed, and comfortable. Applying the necessary cream to her groin for the night & setting the towels, etc. to insure her legs stay spread open, to allow for air.

SO HOW CAN A WORKER GIVING HER A SPONGE BATH TAKE TEN MINUTES ONLY TO WASH, CLEAN, AND COAT WITH MOISTURIZE LOTION OVER HER ENTIRE BODY?

The answer is :   THEY CAN’T !

If they tell you, they have been here, my mistake was in assuming that meant they knew most of the drill.  I SHOULD HAVE been very specific, as to what was required, but somehow, I just don’t think it would have mattered.

No lotion for her aging skin was applied.  Her legs weren’t washed or feet. The Private Area (the whole reason we have these women come in) was not fully cleaned.  A damp cloth glossed over, is good enough, for Nancy.

My day just become more complicated.  No added laundry but now I have to make sure that Mom sits, with the depends open, and more than likely will need to do the sponge bath operation over again, tonight or when she goes to lay down for the afternoon.   That is more time being spent, added to an already full schedule.

I don’t mind doing the added stuff, when necessary. I DO OBJECT TO HAVING TO DO ADDED STUFF WHEN IT ISN’T NECESSARY.

THE ISSUE IS SIMPLE, WITHOUT ANY OVERSIGHT AS TO HOW CONTRACTED AGENCIES ARE STAFFED, ELDERLY PEOPLE ARE NOT RECEIVING THE CARE THAT THEY SHOULD. 

WITHOUT AN ACTIVE OVERSIGHT PROGRAM, THAT COMES INTO THE HOME, THAT CHECKS ON EACH WORKER QUALIFICATION, ELDERLY PEOPLE ARE BEING MIS-TREATED THROUGH NEGLIGENCE & INDIFFERENCE.