Who has home health aides?

[marmalady]

I thought it would be interesting to see how many of our members have home health aides, or PCA's, and whether they're private or from an agency. Let's see if I can do the poll thing correctly! For the ease of posting the voting responses, i'm going to lump home health aides and PCA's in the same category.

I'd be curious, for those who do have aides, if they're full or part time, but there was no room for additional responses.

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Tough times don't last - tough people do.

[rbyrd49100]

Home Help

I am not sure how to vote.. Bluecross HMO is supposed to provide people to stay with Steve a few hours during the day to help him with personal care etc. I would not have considered it , but he recently had his first seizure since the accident(brain injury related). I was there this time, but what if it happens with me not there?

The people at TIRR were no help at all when I asked about some kind of alarm system to alert me if it happens while I am at work. They sent brochure about a medic alert device that you have to puch a button for help. I guess Steve would have to anticipate a seizure coming and push the button [img]/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif[/img] From what I saw with his first seizure, there was no warning.

So we recieved approval for the home aide but so far it has been a joke. They brought one lady to meet him and she was scheduled to start the next day.When she didn't arrive after 2 hours I called and they said she changed her mind because she is afraid of Steve's cat. I told them they could have called me and they responded by saying she would be happy to come if he would "do something about the cat". I told her to forget it and send this dumbass to a psychologist to find out why she is afraid of kitty-cats. Man, if she was afraid of Steve's little cat I am just glad she didn't stay long enough to see my Siberian Husky in the backyard

Russ Byrd

[Emi2]

Part-time, just for assistance in the morning. And for another couple weeks, help with supper.

"It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible
to find it elsewhere."
--Agnes Repplier, writer and historian

[crags]

I've been blessed with good help over the years but dependence on help is by far the worst part of SCI.

It does however, teach good management skills which will help you professionally. Bad people management skills in the office is a nuisance, in the home it is the difference between a tolerable life and utter despair.

[antiquity]

I've had the worse luck with HHA's. I've always gotten them from agency's and have had very few who didn't steal, ask me to lie on time sheets, get too familiar too quickly, stop coming on time and doing what they are asked to do. I need one now but really don't want to go through that experience again.

[shacha]

help

we never had one we always had me i guess if we need one we could get one but from what i hear they arent much help.

[julran]

Part time, I need help to get up and again to go to bed. I have been very fortunate in that the help I have hired the past two years has been very responsible and reliable. At one time one of my aides was through an agency, once when she was on vacation I went ahead and tried a couple of replacements on non shower mornings, Oh My Goodness, were they twits. Anyways, I have two very nice gals working for me right now.

One day at a time...

[KLD]

PCA vs. HHA

Keep in mind that in some states, a HHA must be certified and have a certain amount of education. In my state this is a legal designation, very similar but not identical to CNA. Neither are allowed by law to do caths, tube feeding, suctioning or bowel care.

For this reason, and others as well we have chosen to use private PCAs for my mother, who are not required to have any prior training or experience. The one we have now happens to be a CNA as well, but she works privately (not through an agency) so can do any care we ask her to do. She is a gem, and recently moved into my old bedroom. She does not work full time as a PCA. She has a regular job at a local hospital which provides her with benefits, and is also going to school. She works for my mother a total of about 3-4 hours daily (it depends on the day of the week), and gets a salary plus board. I wish I could clone her for all of you, as she replaced some real loosers that we had before her.

[martha]

Wish you'd put a category for "No Aide -- Can't afford one". [img]/forum/images/smilies/frown.gif[/img]

[jools]

I'd like another category as well (I realise it's not possible):

No outside help because I'm expected to cope with the lot.

[martha]

Jools, I agree that would have been a good optional question also. Too bad the polls don't give room for more choices.

[Raven]

I have been getting someone to come in to help me. They are paid by the state. They call themselves health providers. Is there any difference from the pca or others?

If not, what are the differences?

Raven

[marmalady]

I know, guys, I wished there were more choices when I posted the poll. I wasn't trying to overlook those who either can't afford an aide, or who don't have the option because the state or their insurance won't cover it. One of the things I was trying to get was how many haven't been able to find an aide, and was also curious as to what the breakdown is between private pay aides and state or insurance provided aides.

Martha - Your insurance won't provide an aide? Let's see, you have back problems, right? Would a letter from your doc, stating your condition, help in getting some aide coverage for hubbie?

Raven, I think the guidelines are different in each state for HHA and PCA's, at least as far as state provided coverage goes.

Russ, I know how you feel; we've been through that hoop, also; some of the aides we've been sent I wouldn't trust with the cat or dog they're so afraid of!! It's so sad that so much state and insurance money is spent on incompetence. I wish there was something we could do.

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Tough times don't last - tough people do.

[SCI-Nurse]

Be proactive

Get involved in your local community. Generally there are projects going on through your local ILC that address the needs for better access to better PCAs. It has been great to be involved in this process in our area, which has resulted in a proposal to the state to significantly increase hourly wages and provide benefits in order to attract better people to the county funded attendant care program.

In addition, everyone who now needs (or might need in the future) PCA care should get involved with ADAPT. They are fighting for all of us at the national level:

http://www.adapt.org

(KLD)

[marmalady]

Thanks for the input, KLD.

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Tough times don't last - tough people do.