Home health care doesn’t do much but sit in the chair for 4 hours a day. Mom will play dice but they won’t do it. When you say something, they say she won’t play but every time I get it out she does it.
Maybe the three of you could play together a few times to get everyone on the same page. If they are there with the particular intent to engage her in activities and they don't I'd be p.o. ed, but if they are there to provide you with a 4 hour break away then I'd be satisfied with a warm body in the house who is qualified to deal with any emergency that might arise while I was gone.
While I believe what you are saying about the aide loafing through her shift oftentimes an aide will try to engage the client, ask the client to play cards or some other activity and otherwise try to get the client up and moving but the client, not wanting to put the aide out, will decline all such offers. To many people receiving home health the aide is a guest in their home and clients can get uncomfortable asking the aide (the guest) to do any tasks.
Having said that, an experienced aide knows this and has figured out ways around this so that the jobs and tasks get done despite the client feeling uncomfortable at having a stranger (a guest) in their home. I worked in home healthcare for many years and I ran into this frequently. The client is polite and hospitable, the client has their social mask on, so when the client inevitably needs help in the bathroom it can be very uncomfortable for them having their guest (the aide) help them. But a talented and empathetic aide knows how to overcome this.
My advice is to give the aide the benefit of the doubt for now. Clients will also tell their family one thing while doing the complete opposite with the aide. Sometimes this is due to cognitive decline, other times the client wants to please their family. The aide isn't family and can be thrown under the bus.
What you need to find out, from a supervisor, what are the Aide's duties in "YOUR HOME".
I worked as a secretary for a Visiting Nurse Assoc. A woman I know husband was getting aides thru maybe Medicaid. Shecwasn't paying for them. She complained one day to me that the aides were not doing dishes, vacuuming or laundry. Just caring for him. This woman worked f/t. I asked my Dept Head about it and this is what she told me.
The Husband is the client. The aide's responsibility is to him. As long as he is bathed, fed, clean and cared for, her job is done. It is not her responsibility to wash dishes, do laundry or clean if there is someone in the house capable of doing those chores. Now if husband was living alone, then those responsibilities fall on the aide.
So, thats why I said "in your home". I do think they should engage her somehow. But this is a question for their supervisor.
If you are there and see them sit in a chair for 4 hours why do you not suggest.. Please take mom for a walk. (If this is acceptable and safe) Mom has a load of laundry that needs to get done. Has Mom's bed been made? I have to run to the store please fix Mom's lunch and see that she eats.
If you have suggested these things and they still are not done I would have a talk with the agency, review what the Aids job description is and if she/he is not doing what they are supposed to be doing ask for another Aid.
If this is a recent caregiver that your Mom is not yet used to give them a bit of time to adjust but make it clear what you want done within the scope of the job. Even if Mom does not want to play dice the Aid can find something to do that will help out. The Aids job is not just to entertain your Mom but to help make things easier for you as well as your Mom and if that means cleaning a bathroom, doing Mom's laundry, fixing lunch, giving a bath then that all falls within the scope of the job. I will say when I had caregivers for my Husband I would have them do his laundry, not mine, I would have them clean the bathroom we used for him, not mine, I would have them fix his lunch not mine. (I actually had soups made and all they had to do was finish thawing and heating. I made soup and froze it in portions about every other week)
That’s what I say too, as for trying I have planted paper in the dice cup n set it a certain way the aides make no attempt to even try....this girl has been here for 2 years. She tells any trainees thisnones the easiest one we have you don’t have to do much here. She a POS!!
Do you want to solve the problem of your mother's not enjoying activities with her aides, or do you just want to catch out one particular aide you don't think much of?
If this woman has been employed in your mother's home for two years, and she's such a fixture that she is in charge of inducting trainees, what's happened recently to make you determined to do something about her? Have you discussed your concerns with her agency? Most important of all - does your mother like her?
Honey...they are all lazy, and when they come in and steal prescription medicationthey need to background check people. Even on tvhere last week the home care industry was mad McDonald’s starts out at $15 an hour and they can’t find workers...cause you don’t need an education for this type of work.
Have you talked to the aid? Does she have a job description and a to do list?
I would have a heart to heart, no just asking as you sit on the chair looking disinterested, get up set it up and say (enthusiastically) lets play dice. Hand her a list of items you expect her to perform and ask her if she sees any problems and is she all good with doing everything on the list, do the same with every aid. Then you can call the agency and say here's the steps I have taken and I am not getting what I pay for, send aids that are willing to work for their pay or I will be forced to hire a different agency. I would make sure that the things you are asking for are part of what they offer and I would provide them with a job description so they can vet new aids.
I would have fired this aid a loong time ago, telling new people that you can be a lazy lump here is unprofessional and sleazy. She obviously feels indispensable and that is never a good quality in an employee.
It’s paid by Medicaid and they have a list but say she don’t have food in the fridge we don’t have to clean the fridge....that’s what her supervisor told me. It’s a sh** show they run. Then you obvisouly need to modify the care plan or get your hours cut cause your wasting tax payer dollars!!
Having said that, an experienced aide knows this and has figured out ways around this so that the jobs and tasks get done despite the client feeling uncomfortable at having a stranger (a guest) in their home. I worked in home healthcare for many years and I ran into this frequently. The client is polite and hospitable, the client has their social mask on, so when the client inevitably needs help in the bathroom it can be very uncomfortable for them having their guest (the aide) help them. But a talented and empathetic aide knows how to overcome this.
My advice is to give the aide the benefit of the doubt for now. Clients will also tell their family one thing while doing the complete opposite with the aide. Sometimes this is due to cognitive decline, other times the client wants to please their family. The aide isn't family and can be thrown under the bus.
Or, maybe you just have a lazy aide. :)
What you need to find out, from a supervisor, what are the Aide's duties in "YOUR HOME".
I worked as a secretary for a Visiting Nurse Assoc. A woman I know husband was getting aides thru maybe Medicaid. Shecwasn't paying for them. She complained one day to me that the aides were not doing dishes, vacuuming or laundry. Just caring for him. This woman worked f/t. I asked my Dept Head about it and this is what she told me.
The Husband is the client. The aide's responsibility is to him. As long as he is bathed, fed, clean and cared for, her job is done. It is not her responsibility to wash dishes, do laundry or clean if there is someone in the house capable of doing those chores. Now if husband was living alone, then those responsibilities fall on the aide.
So, thats why I said "in your home". I do think they should engage her somehow. But this is a question for their supervisor.
Please take mom for a walk. (If this is acceptable and safe)
Mom has a load of laundry that needs to get done.
Has Mom's bed been made?
I have to run to the store please fix Mom's lunch and see that she eats.
If you have suggested these things and they still are not done I would have a talk with the agency, review what the Aids job description is and if she/he is not doing what they are supposed to be doing ask for another Aid.
If this is a recent caregiver that your Mom is not yet used to give them a bit of time to adjust but make it clear what you want done within the scope of the job. Even if Mom does not want to play dice the Aid can find something to do that will help out. The Aids job is not just to entertain your Mom but to help make things easier for you as well as your Mom and if that means cleaning a bathroom, doing Mom's laundry, fixing lunch, giving a bath then that all falls within the scope of the job.
I will say when I had caregivers for my Husband I would have them do his laundry, not mine, I would have them clean the bathroom we used for him, not mine, I would have them fix his lunch not mine. (I actually had soups made and all they had to do was finish thawing and heating. I made soup and froze it in portions about every other week)
If this woman has been employed in your mother's home for two years, and she's such a fixture that she is in charge of inducting trainees, what's happened recently to make you determined to do something about her? Have you discussed your concerns with her agency? Most important of all - does your mother like her?
I would have a heart to heart, no just asking as you sit on the chair looking disinterested, get up set it up and say (enthusiastically) lets play dice. Hand her a list of items you expect her to perform and ask her if she sees any problems and is she all good with doing everything on the list, do the same with every aid. Then you can call the agency and say here's the steps I have taken and I am not getting what I pay for, send aids that are willing to work for their pay or I will be forced to hire a different agency. I would make sure that the things you are asking for are part of what they offer and I would provide them with a job description so they can vet new aids.
I would have fired this aid a loong time ago, telling new people that you can be a lazy lump here is unprofessional and sleazy. She obviously feels indispensable and that is never a good quality in an employee.
Best of luck, this is such a difficult journey.
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