- Show up 5 minutes late every day
- Be in such a hurry to leave at the end of the day that you have your purse on your shoulder and you shout 'She had a good day' as you race out the door. You get extra points if you do all that before I get 3 feet inside the door myself
- Stay on your cellphone 85% of the time you are supposed to be working
- Ignore my daughter while you are on the cell phone that 85% of the time you are supposed to be working
- When you are not on your cell phone, balance your checkbook
- When you are not on your cell phone or balancing your checkbook, sit in a chair eating potato chips and drinking soda. Make sure to wipe the grease from your fingers on the arm of the chair.
- Don't learn to communicate with my daughter. Heck, there's no need to communicate when you won't even look at her most of the time.
- Only give her orders as to what you want her to do - "get up", "go to the bathroom", "put your shoes away", and my all time favorite, "turn that toy off, it's driving me crazy."
- Take my daughter into the community but don't tell me when you are leaving, when you will return, and where you are going. Continue to not tell me even after I have explained how that is not to happen ever again.
- Run errands when you are supposed to be working. On the surface, doing that a few times wouldn't be all bad. But, asking my son to watch my daughter so you can get gas, pick up a child car seat, and go outside to smoke are bad. When you are working, you never ever leave my daughter alone.
- Act indignant when I mention any of these things and the fact that I saw it all on the camera that is on at all times. You know, that camera that I can check on my cell phone no matter where I am
- Tell me way too much about your life. I really don't need to know about your son's father, your father's surgery, the fact that your car is being repossessed, and that your credit stinks. And while doing all that, make sure to never ask about my daughter - about her likes and dislikes, about how to teach her things, etc.
- And remember those craft supplies you told me you wanted - the ones I spent $100 on - never use any of them with my daughter
- And finally, dress in really revealing clothes, especially thin tank tops that leave almost nothing to the imagination. They look especially good with your daisy dukes.
"One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar." - Helen Keller
Oh.my.god. so yay for cameras I guess!! Does she get in trouble through the agency too?
ReplyDeleteHow are PCA's wearing tank tops and daisy dukes?! why not scrubs?! I did home health care and had to wear scrubs or REALLY nice clothes (almost church appropriate) depending on the pickiness of the client.
ReplyDeleteand all that is inexcusable behavior. Get an e-cig so you don't smell like smoke around clients.
my agency had a no phone rule....they couldn't enforce it very well unless the client complained.
i'm sorry you're having a hard time with aides :(
Kelly, yea, I was pretty appalled at the clothing. When I talked to the agency I told them I would be happy to provide scrubs. Hopefully with a new person, we won't have the same issues.
ReplyDeleteJust The Tip, yes I'm glad I have the cameras. I was, and maybe still am, a little uncomfortable with having them, but I checked to make sure it was legal, and it is my job to protect my daughter.
I'm thinking she probably did get in trouble with the agency, but they aren't sharing that with me (nor should they).
Unfortunately, nothing on this list surprised me.
ReplyDeleteAppalled, yes, outraged, yes, angered, yes, but surprised, no.
It is possible to find really good folks willing and capable to do direct care work, but in my experience, they are a rare breed.
In our town, the agency we chose is what made the difference. There have still been problems, poor matches with our family, and folks who can't or won't do the job, but the agency (actually the direct supervisor) has been responsive.
The special needs parent grapevine tells me that the agency we are using is the best in our area. They pay a smidge more than others, do more training, offer advancement to their employees and recognize folks efforts with a newsletter, bonuses and such. Still poorly paid, but not a bad place to work.
From our end of things, what has helped to make workers with potential into really good workers has been extensive training and support. I have the good fortune to be home (caring for my extremely medically fragile younger daughter) while my older daughter receives services through her medicaid hab waiver, so it is harder for folks to get away with much as well.
Detailed instructions for EVERYTHING from g tube use to how to clean up a "spill"on the bathroom floor to how to brush my daughter's teeth to what to put in our recycling bin, etc. etc....... Has helped a lot. Also a daily checklist of tasks the worker must complete. Perhaps a list of expectations of the worker, including appropriate clothing would help too.
Good Luck finding the perfect person for your wonderful Ashley!