I'm a caretaker of 96 years old with mixed dementia. 24/7 on duty. Today is the 18th day. I really want to tell this to "her" family that i cant take care of their loves one with that working hours. But I want to make sure fisrt that its reasonable. I mean, are there any of you that have a same experience and you can handle it?
You are doing the work of 3 full-time caregivers, each of which would work 8 hours each, and go home to their own family, have a good nice sleep, and be ready for their next shift.
It is totally unfair for your patient's family to even think you could work around the clock with someone who has memory issues, and probably other medical and physical issues when someone reaches 96 years old.
Keep us up to-date.
Of course you are not bad. This type of caregiving requires a team of three caregivers. Some people can do 24/7, but not without breaks, respite care.
Have you tried Monday-Friday, weekends off? Have you read articles on this site about how many caregivers die before the ones they are taking care of?
Ayucan, you need to find another line of work - this is never going to work for you as a household employee.
I was a caregiver for 13 - 16 hours per day, for 196 days straight.
I have been in the hospital 20 plus days, it has cost me far more than I ever made, and I almost did not come out of it, then got a superbug from the hospital,
Advice, 24 hours a day is NOT sustainable. 3 days on 4 days off or 4 days on, 3 days off, but NO NO NO.
Please do not do what I did. I am the only one she knows and will have, do not get in that trap. It is better to tell whomever up front.
Really, I lost 50 lbs and still work, but am so exhausted, that I only do 6 hours of elder care now, and work with the Household that has been so very good to me.
Pleese read everyone's advice.
Cwillie, labor laws yes, but in the state that I live in and I am on the books all the time, as caregivers do not realize or some don't that it just is a no win for you to make money off the books, no social security, no labor laws. And by the way, i just found out, when my doctor wrote a note that I was to work from 10:00 not 9:00am, that because I was an employee of one, they did not need to follow the labor laws.
Be GOOD TO YOURSELF, NO ONE ELSE WILL. {LIFE IS A JOURNEY, NOT A RACE"
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