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Tough Call To Make, Thanks BCS

  • Posted on June 8, 2011 at 4:02 pm
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This entry is part 23 of 24 in the series Quality of Life

Background : Mom has gotten an infection in her toe, that is just as resilient as the one in her groin, or so it seems. It has also spread from just the baby toe, to basically her foot. It has become painful for her to walk, so we are using a transport chair ( scaled down version of a wheelchair ). Even just sitting, her foot can throb at times, and well, it doesn’t help her tremors, or her focus.

The Situation : Our regular home support worker, was off last weekend, and this weekend, because of holidays. Hey, they are entitled to have one, so we had substitutes last weekend. Colleen and Amy, who we’ve had before. Both are okay, not great, not one’s I would have as regulars. We have them again this weekend.

Now, Colleen, well she did okay on Saturday. Needed a bit of direction, but managed and Mom wasn’t too stressed out afterwards.  Unfortunately I can’t say the same for Amy on Sunday. I’ve just finally managed to contain the groin infection again, and this afternoon, the foot looks a bit better.

The Issue : I have to decide now, if I will cancel Sunday with Beacon Community Services, or allow Amy to return, and perhaps add to Mom’s pain & stress.

I did call them today, to see about a replacement, but gee, there just isn’t anyone available. Sunday being their worst day as no one wants to work on Sunday, so it seems.

Yeah, I was born on a turnip truck yesterday.

Honestly, they don’t have any workers to fill in on Sunday? So let me see, one of the workers phones in sick, or books off, and hey, the patient just suffers, ‘cuz they don’t have anyone to fill in?  Not bloody likely.

Now Amy is okay, if things are okay. Doesn’t have a clue on how to use a wheeler, and frankly, not too sure if she can handle someone Mom’s weight ( 125 lbs ) and frailty.  Perhaps she does fine when no one is nearby, but I had to help her get Mom into the bathroom, then get her on the bench to be washed.

Had to also change her night shirt too, as well, we changed that first, then sat her down on a wet bench.  Brilliant, let’s add to the laundry, ‘cuz really I don’t have enough to make up a third load. ( Mom’s incontinence is pretty bad some days, worse when she is stressed out, Sunday being one of those days )

Not only did I have to show her how to get Mom into the bathroom, SAFELY, but had to help in getting Mom onto the bench. And that too, wasn’t ideal, because she really didn’t have a clue on how to insure Mom was properly seated on the bench. She was half on, half off, and that isn’t comfortable.

The washing was pretty half assed too. But then, given how she worked, it didn’t surprise me much. The lack of a proper washing in the groin, and drying, added to the discomfort, and caused the infection to flare up again. ( I did have it under control, until the combination of Saturday & Sunday )

My Dilema : So the question I have to answer now, is do I cancel Sunday with Amy, and wind up doing it myself, which isn’t ideal. I can do it, but it is rather embarassing for Mom, and you know, at 94 she is entitled to some dignity.

If I don’t cancel, I’ll spend the better part of next week, getting both infections back under control, and dealing with Mom’s nervousness.  Hell, I don’t even know if I can get the foot infection back under control now, never mind next week. ( In fairness, the infection is one of those, that won’t go away, and this weeks flare up is not all the fault of Sunday’s piss poor bathing. )

The reason why no one else can come in place of Amy, is IN MY MIND, that the scheduler simply didn’t want to do it, It would mean having to do some juggling perhaps, but the real underlying reason is that Beacon Community services has no proper plan in place, to include Substitutes.

After all, having properly trained personnel isn’t a priority now, so why have substitutes on stand by?

IT IS ABOUT THE PROFITS – GOTTA PAY $250,000.00 SALARIES TO THE CEO

Continue reading Tough Call To Make, Thanks BCS »

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Why You Can’t Take Time Off

  • Posted on March 13, 2011 at 2:41 pm
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The Doctor asked me awhile back, why I don’t take some time off. He told me that there are special places, where I can leave Mom, and actually get away for a whole day or even two, if I wanted.  Course those facilities are run by Beacon Community Services.

That alone is enough of a reason to NOT even consider such a proposal.

IF you know that there are going to be workers like Tracy or Yvette, or Wanda, Billie, etc. then sure, it would be ideal. Problem is you get people like Amy or Eleanor, and that is a recipe for diseaster.

Like today, we had Amy, who forgot that with an infection, you don’t use soap or any detergent. The reason is actually quite simple. The skin is tender as it is, has been ravaged by this infection, so using anything but hot water on it, only ascerbates the skin breakdown. Never mind that Mom already has bad skin.

Then too, it gets annoying, to go and see that  Kitchen Garbage bags are used for the small garbage pails in Mom’s bathroom & bedroom.  It is petty, perhaps, but indicative of why I am loathed to let anyone near Mom.  IF they can’t figure out to ask me where the garbage bags are, how are they going to react with a really important situation, like Mom’s sudden shaking?

Seems the wife was asked, and was either still asleep, or not thinking, but he gave her the bags. Boy did he catch it from me too.

IT isn’t like there is no one around to ask.

Today I got my first sleep in, and I mean real sleep in. I didn’t get out of bed until after 11am, which is a first for some time now. One day a week, I get to sleep in past 7am, usually to 8:30am, depending on who is coming. When a substitute, I am up by 8:30.

David was here, so it isn’t like he lets the worker in, then disappears. He is within talking range, so why couldn’t she just ask him where the bags were?

Yes, that is PENNY PINCHING, but let me tell you. I am not rich, not even close to being comfortably well off. Our household expenses are enormous, and so we do have to literally watch the pennies. I need to make sure we have sufficient money to pay hydro ( about $300 per month btw. ) and insure there are depends on hand.

Medications cost money, such as her prescription creams, which run about $100 a month, not to mention the pills. Oh, and let’s not forget things like rubber gloves, so I don’t spread anything to Mom, and vice versa.  So using garbage bags that are overkill, is just wasteful.

I do a full load of laundry each day, so when additional laundry is carelessly added, it is costly. Each time that washing machine & dryer are used, my Hydro goes up. I have to wash in HOT water, to insure the germs are killed.  It isn’t a choice, unless you want to allow for the spread of the infection. I don’t, because frankly I hate doing the creams. It is not pleasant.

Caregiving isn’t just about giving the medications to a person. It isn’t about just changing their depends, or soiled nightshirt. It is about keeping them comfortable, about insuring their spirit isn’t weakened by things like wet nightshirts. That means using more than one or two depends in a 24 hour period.

It means that you always have things they need, on hand, like body wash soap, special lotion for the skin. It is why you buy laxatives in 1 liter containers, and why you never pick up one or two packages of depends.  And those things cost money, but you aren’t out in the work force. You are here, struggling to make ends meet, and when things are needlessly wasted, it is just one more added stress put on your shoulders.

Yes it would be nice to get away, but to leave her in the care of the average Beacon Community Services worker, is like asking for trouble.

Don’t get me wrong, there could be many good workers employed by Beacon Community Services, but we don’t seem to get that many of them. Oh we have had some, but the ratio of caring, experienced, & competent workers to unskilled, uncaring, incompetent, is not a good ratio. 

While I may rant about Beacon, the real culprit is VIHA and the Provincial Government. THEY are the one’s who should be checking, who should be insuring that people sent into our homes, to help with our Seniors, are fully trained, fully capable, of doing the tasks assigned to them. Irrespective of which company they work for.

I blame the lack of qualified personnel on VIHA and our Minister of Health, who turn a blind eye to what is happening. As long as they bring in their budget on target, they don’t give a shit about the cost to the people who they are responsible to. If a senior suffers, well they simply don’t care. The budget came in balanced, so screw how many low income persons ( or Middle Class for that matter ) paid for that uncaring bean counting approach, with pain & suffering.

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Piss Off Beacon Community Services

  • Posted on October 24, 2010 at 10:10 am
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This entry is part 12 of 24 in the series Quality of Life

You know, it really dumbfounds me, the way Beacon Community Services operates.  They have NO CONSIDERATION for their own workers, let alone the Patients they service.  It is a constant nightmare, of wondering WHO WILL attend Mom, even though they claim to have satisfied our requests for consistent workers.

Should note, that since we began with Beacon Community Services, July 15 2009, until today, October 24 2010, we have had our regular workers, attend as scheduled FOR ONE WEEK ONLY.

In other words, the schedule of regular workers, for each day’s service, has only been fully completed, one time.   THINK ABOUT THAT!

Now, put yourself into the mind set of a 93 year old.  Tell me it won’t gnaw at you, make you nervous, worried, and upset?  Then consider how the primary caregiver is feeling, who has to deal with that upset, that stress, on a 24/7 basis.   Burnout doesn’t begin to describe the upset, or the way I feel.

THANK YOU VIHA & BEACON COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR MY ULCER & FRAYED NERVES.

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God How I Hate Beacon Community Services

  • Posted on September 12, 2010 at 10:42 am
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This entry is part 8 of 24 in the series Quality of Life

There maybe some other good workers, employed by Beacon Community Services, but I sure as hell haven’t seen too many.  Worse though isn’t so much the workers, as it is the system & way that Beacon Community Services operates.

You would assume, a corporation dedicated to supplying home support workers, would take into account the Patients needs.  With Beacon Community Services, your assumption would be WRONG.

Today’s scheduled worker was needed to assist an MS patient, which is certainly a priority over Mom’s needs.  I have no objection to that. In fact, I rather support that concept, however, it doesn’t let Beacon off the hook. Besides, it was the regular worker who called, so Mom wouldn’t worry, NOT BEACON.

To begin with, they need to insure that ANY SUBSTITUTE is at least properly trained, for the basic needs of the Patients.   SOMETHING BEACON DOES NOT DO.

They also need to try and avoid the added stress, both to the Patient, as well as to the normal caregiver.   AGAIN, SOMETHING BEACON DOES NOT DO.

This mornings worker claims, she was notified to come here, at about the time she was shown to be here, on their schedule.  That schedule had been changed last night, to show one substitute, then changed this morning to show this worker, then changed to show a different start time.

NO NOTICE GIVEN TO THE PATIENT OTHER THAN THE ONLINE SCHEDULE

So, how many 93 year olds, do you think have Internet Access?

The real issue is, what about all those people who HAVE NO ONE IN HOME who can access the schedule, who can adjust things for them, like helping them out of bed, while waiting for the substitute worker?  WHO CALMS THEM DOWN, RE-ASSURES THEM?

How about the added laundry now caused, due to the stress of the change, but also due to the worker simply not arriving as scheduled?   WHO DOES THAT EXTRA LAUNDRY?

As Mom put it this morning, it is the added stress that gets to her. She wanted to know, why does Beacon do that?  Don’ t they care about their patients?

SO BEACON COMMUNITY SERVICES, HOW DO YOU ANSWER A 93 YEAR OLD?

Continue reading God How I Hate Beacon Community Services »

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Having One Hour Is A Big Deal

  • Posted on September 9, 2010 at 11:06 am
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You truly have to walk a mile in a person’s shoes, to fully understand the complexity of being a full time caregiver.  Especially if that person, (that you are caring for) is a parent. The roles become reversed, to a degree, but unlike being a parent, you have to balance things with keeping their feelings in mind.

They are used to the one’s making the decisions, not they depend on you. It can be both embarrassing, as well as humiliating.

In so many ways, being a 24/7 caregiver puts you at a disadvantage. Unlike “normal” family interaction, you can’t really afford to have battles, or disagreements.  In short, you really don’t get to vent your anger, your frustrations.  Least not with your parent, as you did when you were in the ‘child’ role.

And that only increases your stress levels, not to mention can create health issues for you.

It is why that ONE HOUR a day, that the so called ‘home support workers’ are in your home, becomes your refuge, your time to simply be free of the stress, the worry.   So when that ONE HOUR becomes a nightmare, becomes no longer a sanctuary, your burnout rate grows. So too, does your level of stress, and your inability to have a calm moment to yourself.

To many it isn’t a big deal, like what is ONE HOUR? 

Well, it is the only time you get to wipe your mind of your obligations. It is the time you can sip a cup of coffee, without having to be interrupted to go do a diaper change, or nightshirt change. A chance to simply not have to deal with the smells of incontinence. 

ONE HOUR is when you can concentrate on yourself, on your own life, without interruption. OR SO THE THEORY GOES!

It is like being inside the eye of a hurricane. ITtruly is a moment when the winds aren’t swirling around you, when you do not have to deal with the daily grind of care-giving. So when a company like Beacon Community Services sends you incompetent workers, or alter the schedule (without cause) it has a huge impact.

As the situation grows worse, that single ONE HOUR becomes your refuge, your hold onto sanity.  When it is taken from you, or when it is never certain that it will be there for you, you suffer, and so does the one you are caring for.

IF ONLY SOMEONE COULD EXPLAIN THAT TO NOT JUST BEACON COMMUNITY SERVICES, BUT TO VIHA, AND TO MANY OF THOSE HOME SUPPORT WORKERS.

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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.

Continue reading Friday’s Substitute, Doreen »

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