Aah, Trudy
Well Substitute #1 for the week is gone, and even Mom agrees, NOT one of the better workers.
To begin with, I really don’t think making personal calls at the end of your time, is appropriate, especially when you haven’t finished the assignment. I know that time is precious, but really, things need to be done right, not half assed.
Secondly, sorry but depends aren’t designed to be flying half mast. It leads to leakage, which leads to more laundry, but more importantly, leads to discomfort and skin irritations. It means, my dear Trudy, that right after Breakfast, I had to change Mom’s nightshirt, plus her depends.
IT also meant that I had to wash her, in her privates, which is why you were sent here in the first place. I then had to dry her, and once more apply the skin lotion, to avoid discomfort, and irritations. In other words, YOUR TIME HERE WAS BASICALLY A WASTED EXERCISE.
While I can understand not knowing the procedures, given its a first time, there are some things that really don’t require instructions, or maybe they do? Such as how to properly put depends on a person, such as not letting someone unsteady on their feet walk unattended to the dining room, while you make a phone call.
These SHOULD BE common sense, something that is obviously lacking with many women being sent into our homes. And you know what surprises me, is that these aren’t young women, but in their late forties, early fifties. THEY SHOULD KNOW BETTER.
I suppose the real problem is, that I expect too much. Call it a sense of entitlement, or whatever, but really I was taught that no matter what, I should ALWAYS do my best in whatever task I am assigned. I was taught, that I may fail, but as long as I could honestly say I had tried my best, then I had succeeded.
Funny how today that isn’t the case. IF it truly is that these people are doing their best, then we really are in deep shit, because they simply aren’t up to snuff. IT does come down to training, but it also comes down to using common sense.
Makes me wonder, how the younger generation is going to be, in handling the aged, which means, how they gonna care for US.
Week of Substitutes Pt. 1
This is gonna be a fun week for us both.
2 of the regular home support workers are off this week, which means, we get newbies for four out of the five days. And the first one scheduled was Anita, but hey, we got a substitute for her already, Trudy. LOL
So far, a nice lady but the information she’s been given is that we have a dog, and Mom has a broken wrist.
Uh the cast came off in September 2009. Such updated info!
She may indeed be nice, seems nice, but without any advance information on what is expected of her, how can she do a good job? It amazes me at how any company can send people into Patient’s homes, without giving them a list of what they are to do.
For example, a sponge bath isn’t all that complicated, but apparently so. I am asked, today, if she has to make Mom her breakfast, which I suppose is what they do, though since we have been using the services of Beacon Community Services, we have NEVER needed anyone to make the breakfast for Mom, or dispense her meds.
Yet routinely with New Workers, or Substitutes, we are asked that. Kind of makes you wonder, what information (IF ANY) that these ladies are being provided with.
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.
Home Support Workers Guideline
Home Support Workers need to understand a few basic rules.
- The first rule, is simple. YOU are in someone’s home TO HELP, NOT HINDER.
- Yes, there are some Patients who cannot answer the door, and it is left unlocked for the worker to enter. HOWEVER that is not the case with MANY so really, DO NOT ASSUME YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO WALK IN.
- Frankly the Company providing the service should have each assigned worker, clearly instructed on this matter, and MAKE SURE THEIR EMPLOYEES KNOW IT!
- Patient Safety should be right up there, at the top of the list.
- It should be simple common sense, but obviously it isn’t, or so it seems with the workers who show up to this household. You do not give the Patient a walker in the wrong position.
- In other words, if the walker has two wheels, and skids on two of the legs, you DO NOT give them the wheels facing them. The SKIDS OR RUBBER ENDS are what faces the Patient.
- This allows for them to easily manouver the walker, doing it ass backwards, impedes their walking, and can lead to the walker being caught on carpet, door runners, etc, WHICH CAN LEAD TO FALLS.
- Follow a Patient from behind, NOT LEAD THEM, if they are obviously unsteady on their feet, or use a walker.
- It isn’t Rocket Science you know, if they are unsteady and you are leading, you can’t help them if they become unstable.
- By being behind, you can easily lean over to correct their motion, to avoid obstacles, assuming you are paying attention, and keeping an eye out for such things.
- It should be simple common sense, but obviously it isn’t, or so it seems with the workers who show up to this household. You do not give the Patient a walker in the wrong position.
- Washing & Drying is not about a splash of water, a dab with a towel.
- It is why you are there, this is your PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY.
- Those in your care, are unable to properly cleanse their private area, as well as their more accessible regions. You are only adding to their discomfort, when you fail to adequately insure that their entire body is cleaned, with warm water and soap.
- Yes, it can be unpleasent to do, and we all may not like it, but this is important to the continued health of your Patient. Failing to do this properly, and completely, can and does, lead to serious health issues.
- Proper Drying is PARAMONT.
- This is how irritations and skin abrasions can happen, do happen.
- If you fail to properly dry your Patient, in their sensitive spots like the groin, infections can occur, and become difficult to treat, to eradicate.
- People sweat, and they can’t always reach down, to dry themselves.
- Urine can collect, or lay against the skin, so if it isn’t dry to begin with, if the pores are open, infections happen.
- What is worse, is that many elderly patients don’t complain, don’t communicate their needs, so you have to be able to know, if they are dry or not.
- YES it takes MORE TIME, but damn it, this is about caring for people, and their needs, not doing some half assed job, to be able to move on to the next victim.
- Those in your care, are unable to properly cleanse their private area, as well as their more accessible regions. You are only adding to their discomfort, when you fail to adequately insure that their entire body is cleaned, with warm water and soap.
- It is why you are there, this is your PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY.
- Transitioning from sitting to standing, and vice versa is an art, a science even.
- Most older Patients have issues, with their bones, their strength. You can’t pick them up or sit them down, like they are a rag doll. YOU WILL CAUSE INJURIES.
- Lifting from under the arms, in the armpits is not comfortable for some, but this isn’t about YOUR COMFORT BUT ABOUT PROTECTING THE PATIENT.
- A Patient who has a brittle bones can easily have their shoulder seperate, or even their arm break, if you grasp too tightly. The key is to NOT GRASP THEM AT ALL.
- Lifting from under the arm, allows them to use what strength they have, and be kept secure, with your strength. Your arm is to guide them, give them that little extra bit of strength needed to get themselves up, or sit down.
- Most older Patients have issues, with their bones, their strength. You can’t pick them up or sit them down, like they are a rag doll. YOU WILL CAUSE INJURIES.
It really isn’t a JOB. It certainly is NOT an easy profession, and certainly the companies operating many of these in home services don’t give a rat’s ass about their employees, or their Patients.
HOWEVER, THAT IS NO EXCUSE TO DO A HALF ASS JOB, OR TO BE UNPROFESSIONAL IN YOUR CARE OF THE PATIENT TRUSTED INTO YOUR HANDS. THEY ARE VERY SPECIAL TO SOMEONE.
It really isn’t about money either, or at least it shouldn’t be. No one is paid enough, who does a loving, caring, job of being a support worker. They are worth their weight in GOLD and then some, because you see, THEY ARE THE ONE’S WHO CARE ABOUT THE PATIENT, NOT THE PAYCHECK.
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?
