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.
