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Maybe I Don’t Get It?

  • Posted on June 24, 2010 at 9:23 am
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Yesterday wasn’t what I’d call a great day. It was rather unproductive, and it makes me wonder, if I get this whole new society at all. I mean I was raised a certain way, always told to reach for the stars, to never settle for second best, but to accept that sometimes, my best just wasn’t going to get me the Golden Ring.

Practicle and yet idealistic too. Kind of like that, but it sure does tend to get a guy down, when you realize, that many simply meander through, doing not their best, just the least possible that they can get away with.

Like I got a bit of a lecture, because I stopped Mom’s cumadin, given that the reading was high, and I hadn’t heard any instructions.  IT WAS WRONG TO DO THAT.   Yet, in my defense, I was going on past experiences with other Doctors.  Should have known better, because the one we have now, KNOWS HIS STUFF.  THE OTHER DOCTORS MERELY MEANDERED THROUGH.

Take the way not one, but four different Doctors, over the last THIRTY YEARS PLUS, treated Mom’s blood pressure. Rarely did they change the medication, instead they simply UPPED THE DOSAGE.

In all that time, Mom’s average blood pressure readings where in the 140 to 160 range. Within a year of being with our current Physician, Mom’s readings are now in the 120 range. He simply kept changing the medication, until he found one that actually worked for her.

SO WHY COULDN’T THE OTHERS DO THAT?

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Substitute Again

  • Posted on March 17, 2010 at 9:34 am
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Today it is Eleanor, another substitute that has been here before, and one I’d wish hadn’t been. 

What is it about some home workers, that think they know the routine that should be followed, better than either Mother or Me?

Is it arrogance or experience?

Right now, Mom has a very tender groin area. Just standing up is painfull, walking more so, and yet when you tell Eleanor that, it is like water rolling off a duck’s back.  In a rather snippy manner, she says she knows, to be gentle.  

WELL EXCUSE ME, BUT YOU NEED TO BE MORE GENTLE THAN EVER, AND BEFORE SHE DIDN’T HAVE EXCRUIATING PAIN WHEN STANDING UP OR WALKING.   THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.

I suppose I am over protective, but then, shouldn’t I be? After all, she is my Mother, not some nameless old person just hanging on to life.  And frankly, if one has that  kind of attitude, that this is just a job, with worthless ‘about to be gone’ people, then perhaps one should be looking for another line of work.

This is what happens when we, as a society, lower our standards to the point, where it no longer matters about qualifications, or training, but becomes simply about filling the positions, at the least expense possible.

And for all those who believe that health care should be profitable, let me explain something here. 

Because of my need to look after Mother, my cost to society might be a bit more, however, if things were managed well, my health would be in better shape. I’d be less likely to develop high blood pressure, the stress would be less thus requiring less medicines for me, at Government (taxpayer) expense.

There are COSTS associated with improper care. It is those costs, that can be eliminated, or at least greatly reduced, if we provide high standards of care, of trained personnel. And if you multiply the savings made on one, by the tens of thousands, the savings far outweigh the added costs of properly training and maintaining this type of system, at peak performance levels.

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Friday’s Substitute, Doreen

  • Posted on March 12, 2010 at 11:11 am
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She’s been here once before, and not much has changed with her.  She is an older home support worker, but frankly, not what I’d call a Great Worker.  She is in a rush, and has a rather hard sounding tone to her voice, that isn’t exactly comforting, or soothing in any way. Nor does it imply confidence in her abilities.

AM I TOO CRITICAL? 

PERHAPS YES, but then again, this is my Mother and I don’t know, to me I keep thinking that standards need to be HIGH, not lowered each time, in order to fit some mistaken notion that people can’t achieve a higher standard of performance.

She isn’t bad, but a bit of brisk attitude, and appears to rush things a little too much. It is like she is in a hurry to get the job done, then skeedaddle, and that sense of urgency gets transmitted to her Patient, and to me.

In a sense, she is like Trudy, Monday’s Generalismo, in that she wants to do things, her way, not necessarily what is easiest for the Patient. So her routine is a bit of extra work for the worker, isn’t that what her job is about?  YES, I know that a sponge bath isn’t ideal, but I also know that mishandling how Mom moves, how she stands, will lead to potential harm, that can have long term impact on her quality of life.

Like a broken hip, broken bone.

She may indeed be qualified, but again, when you have had so many duds show up, all claiming to be effecient & competent, but aren’t, one has to be skeptical, in order to protect the one you love, the one you are caring for.  Seems, that many in this profession, don’t quite understand that, or if they do, don’t understand it well.

Thankfully, this is the last substitute for now, but then, who knows what next week will bring. Again, this sort of uncertainty is what adds to the stress levels, and yes, mainly due to my own need to have routine, to have consistency.  It is also due to the inability of VIHA & Beacon Community Services to inspire any confidence in their abilities to perform the tasks assigned to them.

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