17 replies to this topic

[dexter]

I go through a lot of caregivers. A LOT of caregivers.

[davidsons]

be strong

[Simba]

Dexter you are probably not alone in this the quality of most caregivers we have had over the years has been very low and they are not prepared to listen to what needs to be done and how it needs to be done. Most that we have known have no right to have the word 'care' attached to their job title. I am sure there are some good ones out there and that in time you will find someone who you are comfortable with and is prepared to go the extra mile.

Not having the right support can be incredibly difficult so keep positive I hope you will find a good caregiver who you can depend on soon and get some permanence back into your routine and lifestyle. Another aspect is that it is obviously hard having different people come in and out of your life and never knowing what to expect from the next person who will step in to fit the role. Are there any friends & family who can help temporarily or can you discuss the effects it is having on you with the agency if there is one?

I don't know if you have individualised funding in the states - it basically means that you can advertise & employ your own suitable caregiver and can be more in charge of communicating with them as to what your routine involves for you personally and the funding side is handled through a support agency who will sort out payments of funding & tax for you. Worth enquiring into maybe - but it does mean you will have to find someone suitable to employ but if the problems that you are having involve non-consistency in care it could be a solution. It is the way we have previously employed caregivers before as we found the level of care provided through an agency insufficient in terms of my husband's health & disability needs (and to be honest they were extremely unreliable, rude & abusive).

[sh1wn]

What is it you are trying to accomplish with your post? Is it a statement? Is it a question?
Your going to have to give us some more info to work with.

[qbounce]

Sounds like a rant. Been there, married that.

Short answer, marry one. Problem solved.

[wheeliebear75]

Oh sorry to hear that. So where does the problem come from; lack of funding so they go elsewhere for better pay, you live out in the middle of nowhere so it's a hassle for them, the agency just keeps sending lazy or dishonest/abusive people, you're physically challenging to work for cuz you're tall or have other medical issues, or is it you've got such incredibly bad smelling farts & BMs nobody with working sinuses can stand it? Just KIDDING!


But seriously...what we are waiting for & NEED are the DETAILS!

[Ratticis]

Are they dropping dead, or just mysteriously dissapearing in a vortex in your basement?

[Stand]

From what I understand, everybody goes through this. The best caregivers I have are my family. Everyone else pretty much blows. I've gone through so many caregivers I couldn't even put a number to it. They do the brunt of the work and are severely underpaid. I guess it's to be expected.

[little_one]

Spoton!

Kaydub an incomplete T10 para is my fiance, I showered her in the hospital and helped her with everything to begin with, I love her more than anything so I go above and beyond, strngers such as caregivers have no incentive to go above and beyond. Money is not an incentive because the USA society as a whole does not feel the need to pay caregivers adequatly or allow enough money for disabled human beings quality of life. I'm sorry but when did the word tax become negative? Taxes pay for things you require to live life the way we do such as roads, street lights, schools, the teachers, the list goes on. People do not realise how expensive living wuld be if a private company.companies replaced a government. Roads would all be tolls, street lights would be non existent or in you districts you would pay a fee. Electricity would be a straight market ratemuch higher than the goverment susidised rate now, and if not subsidised goverment officials apply pressure to keep rates lower. Wate, sewerage and beaches, national parks would be gone altogether because private companies want the natural resources under them. your country the USA will become a wasteland and an expensive one at that with people fighting and competing with each other all the time because its so expensive to live now.

If you read the definition for a properly functioning economy, it says there must be a government that oversees, imposes laws and regulations, conducts police work and gives disciplinary actions to law breakers. If you disagree with this, you are blind, the US economy collapsed as a result of an unregulated banking segment which was allowed to run riot. If you disagree with this you are dumb and need to read 'the hungry hungry caterpillar' again.

PAY CAERES WHAT HEY ARE WORTH, THEY TRY HARDER, pay them poorly they wont try hard at all.

So other members are correct in advising to marry a carer lol.

oh and i dont mean its up to you personaly to pay them more, it is up to society and government to realise this is needed.

[Tetracyclone]

I slightly disagree in that we have had some carers for my dad who do the work with love and care. Ye, they are poor and have to work, but they are honorable ladies who would serve lovingly no matter what. They are rural folk, all.

[allis53ca]

....use more lube

[Alex Page carer]

This is my first post on this site so first of all HELLO I work as a private live in carer and would like to ask how you and your families would improve your carers such as what could they do more or better and maybe their doing something too much? Thank you everyone and hope the people who have written before me find the right person to care for them

[LeviM]

It can be extremely hard to find a good care provider. When I lived in Texas I had a lot of problems with it. My biggest problem is that I would be nice right from the start. If a pca wanted to not come in one day and make up her hours on another day I let her..After a short while this pca was taking full advantage of me and simply not showing up more then 2-3 days a week when she was supposed to be there 7 days a week. I had to have the agency replace her.

The next pca came the first day for orientation and never came back. The one after that would show up (they had a key) and when they found me asleep they would simply sign the paperwork and go home. The next pca came in one day, I was asleep. I woke up and found her stuffing her bag with my soda.

I could go on and on.. I wasnt able to find the reliable help that I needed and ultimately it forced me to go into an assisted living facility in Houston. And honestly they didnt do half of what they got paid to do. It was a nightmare. So Eventually I moved in with my Girlfriend and moved to Maryland.

I am enrolled in a Maryland program called "rare and expensive case management" (REM) The program it'self doesnt cover the level of home support that I need so I was referred to the health department who assed me and refferred me to The Maryland attendant care program. My girlfriend was able to go through the process of getting a Maryland Pca provider number and will be getting paid to provide my care.

Be sure to check out the services yoru state provides. You may very well learn that you can pick someone you know and have them get paid to provide services for you. I know Texas had this option as well.

Good luck to you.

[janetanita]

Finding thar my agency caretaker is very expensive. What can I do?

[ORIGIN]

Hello - an interesting selection of views here. I had my C5/6 injury in 1986 and, in the UK then, there were no SCI care agencies at all. My father noted that 'if we were struggling to find good carers/PAs the chances were other people were too so why not start an agency?' So we did - and 20 years on and two companies later, I am still doing so. Why not do the same? In the USA, it seems like there is a huge untapped market as we even get enquiries in England. Good luck. Peter.

[Zack]

Short answer, marry one. Problem solved.

Marry? Yikes! Dated, been Good friends w/benefits I've done. Others have adopted Me as an Uncle and even Father they never had. But "Marry" your a Braver Man then I.

Bad, Lousy, Just not worth having back, I've been through plenty! One left in Handcuffs the Friday before New Years Eve for stealing kitchen supplies, 20 minutes into her first day! And I showed her I can see the kitchen on my bedroom TV via wireless camera I bought at http://www.x10.com/homepage.htm and Linksys has one the starts recording at the slightest motion or sound.

There are Good Caring Aides out there. Hang in there until the right one comes along and doesn't want to leave. She will..

Good Luck!

[catmint]

I think the camera idea is really good Zack. As you live alone it is a must have.

If my husband were alone he would be cleaned out as they live in. It is bad enough with me being here. We are fortunate because at the moment we have a regular girl who is good but we have a big problem with stealing when she is on her break.

Most of the ' carers' the agency we use are from eastern europe and don't actually live in the U.K. They work for a few weeks and live off the client then fly back to Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia or where ever for a week ...rinse and repeat ...

One thing we have noticed are the changes in the stuff they take. It used to be mainly food and toiletries but now the medical supplies are really taking a hammering as well . The last one who was here for a week took suppositories and KY jelly and a new box of those little straps that hold the leg bag secure. They sell them when they go home as they are expensive there. At the moment we are just about keeping up with it but it is very depressing.

[snodrog742]

Been there too. Nursing agencies are the WORST. Have had decent luck with PA's since you can pick those yourselves and easier to get friends hired. Then there's those that just don't/won't work but seem to think they should still get the money. Never ending cycle.