Home Health Aid Protocol

I have a home health aide from a number one home health aid agency. Very respected agency. I live 15 miles out of Cleveland, Ohio. I reported to the nurse of my case that the home health aide is not to--

1. drink hot coffee in areas other than my kitchen or dining room
2. drive my vehicle for personal business
   She drove my vehicle pass my home (7-10 miles) to get herself a HOT lunch at a fast food restaurant because "she didn't know how long I would be in the doctors appointment" (9 AM and physical therapy type movement till noon). There are tons of restaurants on Chagrin Blvd. and from the Cleveland Clinic to my home.
3. I offered her food which is against company policy. But the agency isn't liable for aide using patient's vehicle they say. I was told "Well then she can't use your car." now I am sitting there thinking how the heck am I going to get to the doctors and cardiology rehab??
4. sleeps while I am in the doctors office - that doesn't bother me BUT when I come out the home health must be awake.
5. washes cleaning rags/towels with my street clothes and bras in the washing machine. and leaves wet towels for a week or longer with my clothes.
6. She took off a Wednesday, Friday, and Monday in a 2 week time (4 work days). The aid guarantees 40 hours to the agency. The aide had an elderly patient on the weekend who "doesn't let me (aide) do anything." says the aide. I don't believe that, but really doesn't matter. Point is the aide is to take care of me during the week from 8-4 pm. Breaks and lunch times are ample.

Errands- only doctor's appointments and physical therapy. Husband goes to grocery store , drug store delivers meds, and health products. No hoyer lifts involved. I only weigh 126-128 lbs and 5' 5" approx.- height.

In summary, the nurse from the agency, asked if a social worker needs to come in? I realize that my home isn't going to be cleaned and people aren't going to be taking care of me the way that I would do myself. Why was I calling the agency at 4:30 am. I stated "because my son and husband have to work for a living during the day and the aide was off again for a doctors appointment and no one from the agency called to tell us IF someone was coming." I checked my voice mail, email, asked the aide, and family and no one called. Found out the scheduler never called me and didn't call the substitute aide until the night before at 11:30 PM. The scheduler told the nurse that she called me the week before to tell me the same sub aide, who was told the night before, was coming that following Tues. The aide wasn't told til the night before at 11:30 PM.

Corrective action-

1. car is only driven to clinic, rehab and my home, unless my husband is asked. It's a shame but aides don't like going through spouses all the time.
2. The schedule is typed and posted and will be signed by patient, aide and nurse.
3. eat only in kitchen or dining room. I hate restrictions, but don't see any other way.
4. One does not sleep on the job
5. One doesn't use the company vehicle for personal business
6. One doesn't abuse sick/vacation days.

Have to go aide is here. Always on time which is a God send! She dresses professionally, pleasant person. This is her first job. Help me also to see another view. If list rules prohibit individual replies then reply to the list please. Thank you. My family and I appreciate it.

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To quote from the original message:
>Have to go aide is here. Always on time which is a God send!She dresses
>professionally, pleasant person. This is her first job. Help me also to
>see another view. If list rules prohibit individual replies then reply
>to the list please. Thank u. My family and I appreciate it.

If this is her first job, she obviously has a lot to learn, and the suggestion of being very direct, clear, and firm (not mean and confrontive of course) makes sense to me.

I have written a complete schedule of my husband's care, in case someone else has to take over---haven't had to use it yet, but I tried to be explicit and think of everything through the day and night. Your nurse was right about that, I think. Click here for an example of an everyday care list. If the aide says it's "picky", tell her nicely that the reason for that is to make it easier for HER to do HER job ! Perhaps you need to think of her as either a student of yours or a teenager, trying to make her way in a strange class or situation. It must be really frustrating to have to handle it this way, but since you see positives about her, the agency is cooperative, and you need the help, it may be well worth the patience it takes to "break her in". I'm sure others will reply in more detail, but I wanted you to know you were "heard" and your problem appreciated! Keep us posted.....

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Being her first job, she probably needs lots of training, coaching and guidance in how to be professionally appropriate. I do management training and coaching -- I would use exactly the same approach in this situation.

1. Set expectations and boundaries -- what is acceptable and what isn't.
2. Talk with her about what she is doing well and where she needs to improve and continue to highlight both of those areas consistently and constantly.

I've found that agencies may be great in training people on the technical aspects of the job, but not always on the work ethics/professionalism of the job. So, as a CareGiver, I've taken it upon myself to the the above with the aide.