Really A Carer Is More Than A Carer...
she/he is a spy. First and foremost they are supposedly in between a nurse and social worker.
They can be in trouble if they do not do their work properly but if they spot something they think is not "Quite Right!" Not only are they covering their own backs but they are the eyes and ears for both the medical profession and Social Services.
So often the work they do is more social.
By talking to and building up a relationship with the person they are visiting and that also includes others that live within the property and are also caring for the person they will pick up on something that does not add up.
Today, Mum wasn't being awkward but she simply was too tired to have a bath. She even dozed off whilst the carer was here. It would've been wrong to chew Mum on by dragging her along to the bathroom. So she has promised to have one tomorrow, that proves willingness.
As time is tight tomorrow, I am running the bath water before the carer arrives to save time. In theory though I am doing the work of the carer and what we are paying for. But I don't see the care Mum receives in black and white terms where I won't do something because the carer does that task or vice versa. On the other hand if Mum needs a back rub because its hurting, if that's not in the care plan...I can do it but the carer is not allowed to. So I can do more.
Mum is not avoiding having baths, some think three baths a week for Mum's age is too much and many have less than three. Mum cannot have a decent bath even with the help of a special chair that lowers her into the bath, she longs to lay out in a bath and feel the water around her. But the complication of a hip repair and to be honest we don't really like the shape of our bath its not the most comfortable anyhow. We liked the old one that was replaced when they upgraded certain rooms in the house.
I digress, just because Mum doesn't have a bath with a carer does not mean she is unclean...she gets bed baths, her nether regions are washed daily with clean soapy water/disinfectant and she has baths with me but at times that suit her better maybe 4pm, 10pm whatever. And between the carers taking a break over Christmas and returning yesterday Mum did have three baths. Its not a problem for me. Who do they think is caring for Mum when they are not here?
I have talked with Mum and she says she might feel different and have these baths with carers if they could switch perhaps to an afternoon.
But those making the decisions seems set in their ways and they don't always engage with the people they are supposed to be helping. I believe our carer may take up this with her company as even she realises that it is wrong the way Mum is being "forced" to follow the new plan which they keep saying was agreed but I know neither Mum or myself said yes...it was "forced" upon us.
Mum even warmed to an idea I had that if these baths could be moved to an afternoon that would be much better so perhaps we could reach that compromise. We'll see what happens next.
Mum's fingers/hands are cleaned often during the day either by herself or me. Most of the time that's how they are but now my carer has admitted when they call they are looking and she admits it is paranoia but she has to follow what she has been told to do. So something has been said even though I am told otherwise. Really no one could be kept any cleaner than Mum.
They can be in trouble if they do not do their work properly but if they spot something they think is not "Quite Right!" Not only are they covering their own backs but they are the eyes and ears for both the medical profession and Social Services.
So often the work they do is more social.
By talking to and building up a relationship with the person they are visiting and that also includes others that live within the property and are also caring for the person they will pick up on something that does not add up.
Today, Mum wasn't being awkward but she simply was too tired to have a bath. She even dozed off whilst the carer was here. It would've been wrong to chew Mum on by dragging her along to the bathroom. So she has promised to have one tomorrow, that proves willingness.
As time is tight tomorrow, I am running the bath water before the carer arrives to save time. In theory though I am doing the work of the carer and what we are paying for. But I don't see the care Mum receives in black and white terms where I won't do something because the carer does that task or vice versa. On the other hand if Mum needs a back rub because its hurting, if that's not in the care plan...I can do it but the carer is not allowed to. So I can do more.
Mum is not avoiding having baths, some think three baths a week for Mum's age is too much and many have less than three. Mum cannot have a decent bath even with the help of a special chair that lowers her into the bath, she longs to lay out in a bath and feel the water around her. But the complication of a hip repair and to be honest we don't really like the shape of our bath its not the most comfortable anyhow. We liked the old one that was replaced when they upgraded certain rooms in the house.
I digress, just because Mum doesn't have a bath with a carer does not mean she is unclean...she gets bed baths, her nether regions are washed daily with clean soapy water/disinfectant and she has baths with me but at times that suit her better maybe 4pm, 10pm whatever. And between the carers taking a break over Christmas and returning yesterday Mum did have three baths. Its not a problem for me. Who do they think is caring for Mum when they are not here?
I have talked with Mum and she says she might feel different and have these baths with carers if they could switch perhaps to an afternoon.
But those making the decisions seems set in their ways and they don't always engage with the people they are supposed to be helping. I believe our carer may take up this with her company as even she realises that it is wrong the way Mum is being "forced" to follow the new plan which they keep saying was agreed but I know neither Mum or myself said yes...it was "forced" upon us.
Mum even warmed to an idea I had that if these baths could be moved to an afternoon that would be much better so perhaps we could reach that compromise. We'll see what happens next.
Mum's fingers/hands are cleaned often during the day either by herself or me. Most of the time that's how they are but now my carer has admitted when they call they are looking and she admits it is paranoia but she has to follow what she has been told to do. So something has been said even though I am told otherwise. Really no one could be kept any cleaner than Mum.
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 2:15 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home