I'm asking the question because I think it's so important. I hire caregivers for mom probably twice a month for five hours. When they come, I have a list that I walk through with them...our address in case she would have to call 911...both our cell phone numbers (inviting her to call for any reason at all)...what time to feed mom (I walk her to the fridge and show her the supper I've left...usually served cold...what time to give her medicine...to watch to make sure she takes it because she puts it off...not to get her up from her wheelchair...not to give her anything salty even if she asks for it...a suggested time for ice cream...what there's to eat for the caregiver...how to use the Kuerig...about time we'll be home...AND I get her cell phone number so I can call her if we're going to be late.
I walk her thru the written list, and then I leave it with her on the cocktail table where she'll presumably sit . . . opposite mom.
Tonight, her caregiver who's sat with her before, told me that our family is the nicest one she sits for . . . why? Because she said we respect what she does, make her feel important, and are so considerate.
I thought I'd remind all of us to be super respectful of the people who watch our most prized possessions. ;) Respecting them is part of what encourages them to do a good job and to go above and beyond.
*Sermon Off*
The State of Oregon pays her 22 hours a month.... I pay her the rest, BUT, even though I pay her the same rate the state does...I always add a tidy sum more. She is worth it. Oh, by the way, I did mention to her that I have a security camera installed, also showed her where it was... told her it was for when I had to make a quick run to the store and did not take mom... she was all for it.
Awesome woman indeed!
I hope you are preaching to the choir here, but if anyone needs a reminder, thanks!
All of your awesomeness is hereby recognized!! ;) ;)
She helps mom clean her room, do her laundry... the rest is all luxury fun stuff for mom. Nails, feet ( hate toes) hair.... takes her to the senor center...for ice cream.... she is here to love mom while I am out trying to love myself :) I do not ask her to clean my area's or my clothes.... it's all about mom :)
Maggie... Lisa also got mom some of those velvet paint posters at wal-mart... oh gosh but they have fun doing it! Heck.... I painted one before they even got to it!
Lisa is here from 1 - 4 we do not do early stuff cuz if mom doesn't sleep, I don't sleep...she will stay longer if needed on those days. Other days she works for NH. She loves in home work...loves my mom cuz mom is so nice. Uhm...ok :) dude, just like a kid... nice with others, hell with errr mom? yes, I am now mom.
Lisa has a special drawer here where she keeps all her fun stuff for mom...
One last thing then bed time for me.... my mother used to oil paint, some really nice Kincaids )sp) and other equally nice masterpieces... well, the mind/hand/thought coordination is long gone...but, I bought her a lovely water color set.... I painted with her several month ago but she was irritated that I did better.... so i let it rest.... now Lisa, the care taker is painting with her, well...I've got some awesome pictures hanging on the fridge. That makes me happy!
On the other hand, I do know that not all clients are the same. Quite a while back, I posted a sly remark on the professional caregivers' thread on the AC forum remarking that while I didn't know what my MIL's "companion" was paid, I did know it wasn't enough. Bless them, true professionals to a woman and man, they took that as a compliment meaning that they were worth their weight in gold. Which of course they are. But that wasn't quite what I meant...
One day he would tell me how he can tell that his wife really liked the Caregiver.... then the next day he was blowing a fuse because the Caregiver had to take a day off because her grade school aged child was home sick from school, he couldn't come into work.
He didn't like using an agency, so there was no back up, yet he thought all independent Caregivers knew all the other independent Caregivers in our metro area, so he felt it was her responsible to find a replacement.... [sigh].