Do you guys have a to do list for your caregivers?

[mrb]

Simple fix. Floors are to be washed every 2 days or when needed.

Simple to you, unfortunately some staff see a list as a fixed schedule and even if it says when needed my idea of needed differs to theirs. It comes back to common sense which is a rare commodity these days, or is when care staff are only earning $14 ph.

[crags]

very important when someone is starting. What seems to us to be a straightforward routine can be overwhelming for someone new, especially the sequencing and all of the little steps and chores that are important. as equally important is that it serves as a basis for minimal expectations that is not met to provide the basis for termination. Some people are legitimately forgetful and for these people the list will provide no excuse. For those that are downright lazy or insubordinate, the list is needed to keep honest people honest. Some even have the employees sign the list as acknowledging that these are their duties, though some employees get defensive about signing anything and if paying someone off the books as an employer, one may want to think twice about leaving a signed paper trail.

[HACKNSACK44]

Simple to you, unfortunately some staff see a list as a fixed schedule and even if it says when needed my idea of needed differs to theirs. It comes back to common sense which is a rare commodity these days, or is when care staff are only earning $14 ph.

You would think common sense would kick in. But we know how that usually goes. Floors are to be washed everyday! Problem solved. If they don't like move on.

[vjls]

So, this isn't really worth a post for the purposes of this thread, but of course we make adjustments for each person who is a regular caregiver. They either have a pair of slippers or house only shoes if they prefer that. But no outside shoes in the house. We've never had a person complain or dislike it.

My father's house is a no shoes house. In our part of the country, lots of snow/rain. It just is not polite to expect that you can walk around someone's clean house in dirty/wet etc.. shoes. It really shocks me when people walk right in without hesitating. My father walks with crutches and it is extremely dangerous if there is even a drop of water on the floor.

My father also has an immunodeficiency and his house is kept clean very clean.

I guess we're just odd and unreasonable.

And they hate the shoe covers. Those are for visiting workmen etc.. They are not very safe in a house with all wood floors.

nope that was the way I was raised farm raised yo boots were dirty a lot of tie u striped in mud room as you were filithy even nnow my son his house no shoes no boots

[Tim C.]

One of the problems with lists is when you have a task set for a specific day and circumstances dictate that it is done outside of this. The classic example is we have floors to be washed every 2 days but I then go out in my chair, it rains and I come back with wet wheels, obviously the floors need cleaning but it isn't the "right" day. This has caused problems with staff not wanting to clean on the wrong day. Common sense needs to be applied.

Common sense v. Caregivers
Age-old challenge .

[Vindex]

It comes back to common sense which is a rare commodity these days, or is when care staff are only earning $14 ph.

$14 per hour is significantly above minimum wage, and there is no excuse for poor performance for that amount of money, especially when it comes to cleaning the house and basic chores.

Do you know how hard I've worked at supermarkets and retail establishments for $8-$10 per hour?

Sweeping and mopping floors and doing all sorts of cleaning as well as merchandising retail goods, providing high quality customer service, and engaging in salesmanship with customers?

$14 Is not nurse pay, but there is no excuse for low quality work for things as simple as housekeeping and chores for that amount of money.

[gjnl]

This is just a thought, not a recommendation or anything I have done.

Many able bodied families have a housekeeper come in once or twice a week to do cleaning chores. Maybe, those of us who need personal care should hire someone to do just our personal care and hire a cleaning service/housekeeper to do the housekeeping chores.

I've only used outside caregivers a about a dozen times. But one time I did was when NL had a torn meniscus repaired. What a disastrous experience. I hired a service. They sent someone to the house to do my personal care. Once the caregiver was finished with my personal needs, there was still time on the clock. We asked the caregiver to help NL clean the betadine wash off NL leg (surgery prep staff can go a little wild with this stuff). The caregiver refused and said she had been hired only to care for me. We asked her to leave, immediately.

[SCIfor55+yrs.]

I have had some bad experiences similar to those already posted. I quickly gave up on agency people. It cost an arm and a leg, the workers were paid hardly anything, and so they did a minimal job. Employing my PCAs directly is a pain, but i am able to pay them twice as much as agencies and save money. One of my current PCAs is a 60 year old woman who asks me for more work. She does not like to sit around waiting for my bp to end. She has offered to do anything within her capabilities for both me and my wife. There are some really good people out there with a good work ethic and appreciate a decent pay. Regrettably, finding them seems to be a matter of luck.

[tvot]

I have a blank whiteboard that I'd like to smash over their head. This was suggested by number 1 pot head pca. Her crazy ass was fired after 6 months I now have 2 pca that are more concerned about who's doing what. Is it really that tough. They know it's the SOS everyday. But gotta bitch bitch bitch. This must be payback for 37 great years. After the way I seen those hard working people running around at my brief nursing home stay, these one on one pc's don't know how good they have it.

[gjnl]

Take a look here:
http:///forum/showthread.php?263877-...ight=contracts

http:///forum/showthread.php?260672-...ight=contracts

http:///forum/showthread.php?141427-...ight=contracts

http:///forum/showthread.php?139862-...ight=contracts

When I get a free moment, I will look into my files t see if I can find more.

[tvot]

Common sense v. Caregivers
Age-old challenge .

Tim you're a silly one. Anglezilla called you out for sarcasm on your last post. Nurse CKF said the same thing about plain old common sense. The picture here is what I post on FB quite awhile back. This C&C thing has bugged me since a troubling event in 93. I'll do a follow up on my newer PCA tomorrow. 4:30am hope I sleep. Damn it.

[crags]

Any tasks not directly related to the patient, such as child care or dog walking must be specifically enumerated upfront and compensated as such. If it is not, the only person to blame if problems occur is yourself.