Home health aide taking pics on her phone. What can I do?

File a written complaint. No one should be taking photos of a home they are working in! YIKES!

Thank you for your advice. Tomorrow my last day with this agency but I will still write a formal complaint and probably send to state as well.

I would feel like it is my duty to report this agency. There are a lot of elderly out there with no one.

Yes, make that complaint in writing. Send it to them certified mail. The HHA needs serious reprimanding.

The agency should be doing basic training... like starting with “professional” behavior. No talk, text, live chat while on the job. No pictures of clients or their homes and other possessions, etc.

Could they be casing your home? For theft? I'd put it in writing too!

I would check out if the state is involved in overseeing them. If so, send a copy of the letter to them too. At the least, this is an invasion of privacy. At the worst, she could be casing your house. The agency has tobtake this seriously. This is very inappropriate and unprofessional.

Glad ur changing agencies.

Dismissed, and potentially fired. Reflects an agency not training adequately; this is a breach of confidentiality/privacy. Damn these phones! I have to add that in a very few cases I have had people I supervise do so but only close ups of a problem...clutter, debris, excessive dirt...it did not reveal any identifying info or the client, but still, as helpful as it may have been from my perspective, I made it clear this was not acceptable, required the pictures to be deleted immediately, and let the people know in the future that 1. Their word/description was adequate and 2. I was available to make a visit to observe firsthand.
This really irks me because you and your space have been invaded and you have no idea of the aides intentions. We are so vulnerable, those who need outside help. I was especially distressed recently because I learned private companies not involved with medicare/medicaid do NOT have to do a criminal background check. They CAN, but they are not required. We had the owner of a private company out with the anticipated aide. Owner did a check when I inquired and created (I suspect) a story for the info she found OR the aide was conning her...about charges in re to trashing an apt the aide shared with a sibling. Supposedly the aide took the rap for her sibling. Uh huh. Such a good sister! But only BY CHANCE did I discover this aide had about 10 court appearances for driving violations...and she was going to potentially drive my mother! The owner didn't even mention one word about this when I sent her an email, and she felt absolutely fine that the aide would drive my mother!
As for what you can do...I think 1. I would be investigating and attempting to find another agency and 2. At the same time I think I'd check with the local police on the non emergency number or via an email to convey your concerns about your privacy and being at risk...i.e. was she taking pictures of the environment, valuables to potentially rob you? And I would also contact the long term care ombudsman's office. There is such a need for HHA's that she is liable to be hired elsewhere.
And I will conclude with this little hyperawareness episode: In the process of looking for another agency they sent out a marketing person (1st error from my perspective). In the course of discussion she mentions that sometimes they have aides without cars who may be dropped off by a family member or someone. I point out the breach of confidentiality. She was clueless. I said well, you have a 3rd uninvolved party now exposed to our home address and knowledge of someone inside who is frail or impaired. Her comeback? That LOTS of people had access to information!
BTW, you want not only to assure that the images of you and your home are deleted, but also that they have not already been posted to social media.
Good luck...I hope you'll write back to update!

Consult a lawyer - NOW! Even if you dismiss her, which I would do - the agency has certain responsibilities as well. Whatever photos, videos, etc. have been taken need to be destroyed. (This is a bit radical but in this day & age . . . whose to know whether or not she's in league with people who break in to houses & still things. Or identify theft or credit card fraud.)

Sorry, but that sort of behavior is unprofessional & totally uncalled for.

TALK TO A LAWYER!

Did you say anything to her the first time you saw her taking pictures?

Sugarb914, I don't see anything in your post or replies about what the HHA said about this when you asked her what she was doing. Or what she thought she was doing. Or what the &%^$$ing h311 she thought she was doing.

I mean, she was right there and you were right there and it was going on right there, yes? So... what did you say and what did she say?