If mom can't be left alone and chooses to rest what do you expect the caregiver to do? I had one block of 6 hours so that I could get out of the house, during that time my mom was toileted, given her shower and helped with her lunch, the rest of the day she slept. Other than a little bit of dusting and running the vacuum up and down the hall (and my house hasn't been so clean since lol) there wasn't a lot for our caregiver to do, personally I would have found it difficult to fill the hours sitting in someone else's house.
The hired CG is doing her job, correct? She is overseeing for your mother. In this type of 1:1 I would expect there would be down time for the CG- what else did you specify in the contract? I would be reassured that my mother woke up to the familiar face of her CG.
This is not factory production lines. I have had 2 jobs in my career where I was paid to be there just in case. I was raise with high work ethics and I am an active person. I felt guilty but I was not allowed to perform any activities that someone else is paid to do. Then I owned a company where I needed such people to just be there. I then understood. I did not assign them busy duties just because they are on the clock. Christy has 3 caregivers. Right now, Christy is laying in bed, grumping because she does not like daytime naps. It is necessary for her to lay down when she is suspect of constipation. Sitting causes the mass to pack at the door. The paid caregiver is on the couch, reading a book. I am on the computer. We are listening to Christy's sounds in the baby monitor. We do not restrain Christy. The caregiver is here because I no longer have the strength to manipulate Christy. All necessary tasks have been completed and It is senseless to assign busy duties.
When hiring a sitter all they do is sit, waiting for Mom to awaken. if you anticipate her only sleeping, you need to negotiate light housekeeping prior. sitters are expensive.
You can choose the hours during which you want a carer, and you can also negotiate a contract that includes the carer doing other household tasks during 'down time'. If other jobs aren't in the contract and you can't avoid hiring for these hours, yes it is expected - what else can the carer do?
It's only 3 hours. Talk to the caregiver about doing 1-2 loads of laundry --- maybe just bed linens and towels -- going through the fridge and throwing out expired food (we always had an issue with rotted fruit and lettuce never being thrown away), and make sure the plants, if she has any, are watered (not every day of course), and, if your caregiver is at all proactive, ask her to check on your supplies, such as toilet paper, paper towels, laundry detergent, etc, and write you a note about any supplies getting too low. Light housekeeping? For a 3-hour caregiver? That's a tough one. I'd say just worry about food crumbs on kitchen floor and countertops.
However, if you are only paying for a "sitter," then she is doing exactly what she is being paid to do, and probably for no more than $10 an hour (less the taxes she has to pay for herself).
Yes, that's normal. Unless the contract states otherwise the caretakers job is to watch over your mother. If your mother sleeps peacefully for three hours while the caregiver is there and the contract doesn't specify anything else to be done during that time then all they are required to do is be there in case mom wakes or has an emergency while resting. You can get caregiver contracts that include light housekeeping, meal prep etc. Be specific in the care contract about what you need but also realize that each extra thing will also cost extra.
I have not had to hire an additional caregiver - yet - but one thing I've learned from this forum is that paid caregivers are exactly that and often nothing beyond. Not housekeepers or maids. I don't say this to be mean, but sometimes we expect more from people than they are contracted or paid to do simply because they appear to sit around being "unproductive" in our estimation. It's important to understand, up front and before the caregiver ever steps through the door, what their contract states regarding their responsibilities. Some contracts actually restrict a caregiver (as in they can be fired) from doing additional work outside of what is allowed by their company. Part of it might be a wage issue or insurance liability, or something else, but it's the contract that determines the type of work the caregiver does, so if you want them to do more you may find yourself paying more, also.
During that time perhaps the caregiver can put together your mother's medications for the week. Going through the refrigerator and pantry, preparing a meal in a crockpot, clipping coupons from the newspaper, going through your mom's clothes for items that look shabby and threadbare or no longer fit and setting them aside for you to decide to mend, donate or toss, going through the medicine cabinet for expired items and same for cleaning supplies, changing lightbulbs, wiping mirrors and wiping things like eyeglasses, remotes and other items that your mother handles on a regular basis, tossing out old toothbrushes and old toiletries, and probably many other things that you'll start to think of as you enlist the caregiver's help.
There are many things that come to mind as to how you can use that time to your advantage in getting organized. But the important thing is that she be able to do work that is quiet and does not disturb your mom's sleep so that she can be there when she wakes up.
Manage medications? Even if you hire a top dollar caregiver/CNA from an agency, they will NOT touch the medications other than to "remind" to take and, at the most, whatever method you choose.....assuming it's the plastic day/time boxes....whch you stock and manage.... bring the meds to your LO in the box and show her which ones to take, or maybe take them out of the little section and place them in a tiny plastic cup or on a napkin.
I am not trying to be mean to you, about your suggestion. or offensive. Just know from years and years, and more than one agency......unless you pay them extra for an RN or LPN just to manage the meds.....and that person is not the in home caregiver.....it is a separate service...there's a 1% chance that your CNA caregiver is going to do anything other than remind, and that's only if you print out a reminder sheet and post it in your kitchen or bathroom. It is a huge liability issue.
It depends on her contract. If you hire through an agency they will specify what the care giver is to do. My mom's were to do light housekeeping, simple cooking and serving of meals, grocery shopping, and offer of companionship. Some did more than that because they hated doing nothing. Some did less because, well I don't know why. My mom hated to see someone just sitting and reading in her house and would say she didn't need a babysitter, and she was correct. She didn't. I couldn't figure out why they didn't at least try to involve my mom in conversation, puzzles, help with preparing a meal, whatever. I was paying well. Once a care giving was sleeping, with my mom sitting there next to her. This is one reason I placed her in assisted living, because there just wasn't enough to do all day in her house that matched the care givers' responsibilities.
Christy has 3 caregivers. Right now, Christy is laying in bed, grumping because she does not like daytime naps. It is necessary for her to lay down when she is suspect of constipation. Sitting causes the mass to pack at the door.
The paid caregiver is on the couch, reading a book. I am on the computer.
We are listening to Christy's sounds in the baby monitor.
We do not restrain Christy.
The caregiver is here because I no longer have the strength to manipulate Christy. All necessary tasks have been completed and It is senseless to assign busy duties.
if you anticipate her only sleeping, you need to negotiate light housekeeping prior.
sitters are expensive.
It's only 3 hours. Talk to the caregiver about doing 1-2 loads of laundry --- maybe just bed linens and towels -- going through the fridge and throwing out expired food (we always had an issue with rotted fruit and lettuce never being thrown away), and make sure the plants, if she has any, are watered (not every day of course), and, if your caregiver is at all proactive, ask her to check on your supplies, such as toilet paper, paper towels, laundry detergent, etc, and write you a note about any supplies getting too low. Light housekeeping? For a 3-hour caregiver? That's a tough one. I'd say just worry about food crumbs on kitchen floor and countertops.
However, if you are only paying for a "sitter," then she is doing exactly what she is being paid to do, and probably for no more than $10 an hour (less the taxes she has to pay for herself).
There are many things that come to mind as to how you can use that time to your advantage in getting organized. But the important thing is that she be able to do work that is quiet and does not disturb your mom's sleep so that she can be there when she wakes up.
Manage medications? Even if you hire a top dollar caregiver/CNA from an agency, they will NOT touch the medications other than to "remind" to take and, at the most, whatever method you choose.....assuming it's the plastic day/time boxes....whch you stock and manage.... bring the meds to your LO in the box and show her which ones to take, or maybe take them out of the little section and place them in a tiny plastic cup or on a napkin.
I am not trying to be mean to you, about your suggestion. or offensive. Just know from years and years, and more than one agency......unless you pay them extra for an RN or LPN just to manage the meds.....and that person is not the in home caregiver.....it is a separate service...there's a 1% chance that your CNA caregiver is going to do anything other than remind, and that's only if you print out a reminder sheet and post it in your kitchen or bathroom. It is a huge liability issue.
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