I hired an agency 4 years ago to send caregivers to prepare meals, do laundry, and make sure mom and dad get their medications. Mom and dad both have dementia and other health issues and are unable to do these things for themselves.
Little did I know when I first hired home care, that the agency doesn't guarantee to send someone. Of course, they don't charge for that shift if they don't send someone, but that doesn't help my parents or me. I have missed countless hours of work and other responsibilties and plans due to caregiver "no shows." Yet again this morning, no one showed. These "no shows" are no show and no phone call to tell me no one is coming. If I didn't check up on them, I wouldn't even know that no one was taking care of my parents.
I'd fire the agency if it wasn't for 2 of the caregivers who are very dependable and good with my parents. The one works 5 to 7 shifts a week. I called the agency with today's no show and recommended they give some of their "office cut" to the dependable caregivers, because they are the only reason I stay with that agency. (I know that won't happen!)
I feel like I'm in a no-win situation. If I fire them, I'm taking good caregivers away from mom and dad. I'm also taking jobs away from loyal dedicated workers. Plus, I'm left with finding a new agency, who will most likely do the same thing. Or, I'm left with finding assisted living and placing mom and dad. Or, I can keep going as is, with empty threats of firing the agency, and keep missing work, etc.
Have others had similar experiences with home care? How do you handle it?
So yes, it can happen. Good luck to you.
My mom was so accustomed to me waiting on her and anyone else that was in my home that she expected me to wait on the caregiver from Council on Aging! She wanted me to serve her lunch, make her coffee, etc.
I wanted her to feel welcome so I always had enough food for the caregiver to eat a meal with mom.
I kept drinks and snacks for her too. She was welcome to make coffee in my Keurig too.
I had to explain what respite care was. I had to tell my mom that the caregiver wasn’t just for her but was also to give ME a break!
From then on, I left the house when the caregiver came. So I could get a break!
I will say that staffing is a major headache for agencies right now. Caregivers are not the most reliable workforce. I do work as a care coordinator and no-call-no-shows are the bane of my existence. Numerous times this year they have resulted in working *a lot* of overtime or even caregiving myself if we cannot get replacements.
Paying better wages could help, but do know this means the cost of your care is going to increase. I've already seen clients balk at the slight rate increases we've done out of necessity this year.
It is also possible that you could hire private caretakers and put this requirement in the hiring contract. No one leaves until replacement arrives. It seems to me that it should be illegal for an agency to allow a patient to be left alone when they are being paid to provide that service. I mean, if they neighbors saw that you were leaving mom/dad alone all day, you'd probably end up in jail for neglect or abuse.
It’s not an excuse for poor work. Low wages certainly don’t motivate anyone to do their best work.
But I don’t tolerate the lateness or no-shows. They’re fired instantly.
So we had to hire 24/7 caregivers to stay with him in the AL unit. Which doubled the cost, but he had the money to pay for it, so that was not an issue.
Caregivers who left the him alone when we thought they were there. Or didn't show up. Or took money. Or took a credit card and went shopping in Chicago. This was a "recommended" agency by the Assisted Living organization where he lived.
I'd try another agency. That's really all you can do other than put up with the current situation.
I have now worked with this agency and several caregivers for over 5 years. It's been a good situation for all of us. For almost 2 1/2 years, I had 24/7 care for a close family member (I was POA). It was very expensive, but was partially offset by long term insurance that my family member had the foresight to purchase. She also wanted to stay in her family home until death, and passed peacefully with several of us there with her. We also had hospice care at home for her for most of that time. The caregivers, hospice team and I worked together really well.
Now, I have a caregiver from the same service working with my mom at her home. She does not have the same financial benefits as her sibling had, so we have coordinated a routine between the caregiver and family members to meet her needs. She has other health issues including Alzheimers, mobility issues and her age, 93.
As far as not having a caregiver show up or not accurately reporting their hours, it has happened a few times. That is a liability problem for both the care provider service and our family.
I didn't see the liability side of this until recently. It was resolved by having a different caregiver from the same service.
I have recommended this service to anyone looking for care for family members. I think this may be a franchised service ("Help at Home Services"), but very professionally run. They are responsive and often suggest ways to help handle coverage more effectively.
I know that many people have challengers with health care aides, so I do recommended going through a health care service. They handle payroll, taxes, scheduling, screening of health care aides and much more. Most of the caregivers that we have had are from other countries, but this has not been a problem, rather an opportunity for cultural interaction in a positive way.
This is the only way I will get caregivers. I hope you may have similar positive experiences. Blessings to all!
I had occasional help from Council on Aging. They had a contract with a local agency.
I was very happy with the majority of aides that were sent out.
There was only a couple that weren’t a good fit for my mom.
When I discussed one of them with the agency they said they had already dismissed her because they had too many complaints about her playing on her phone on watching television.
The other one wanted to switch to morning hours when I had asked for afternoon hours, so that didn’t work out for either of us.
I never complained if they showed up a bit later than they were expected because I felt like it would be hard to pinpoint an exact time. The aides were polite and called my cell if they we’re running behind.
My mom would get nervous that they weren’t showing up and I would have to tell her that they were running a bit late. I never ran my errands until they arrived. My mom was a nervous Nellie.
I would switch to a new agency if someone wasn’t showing up on a regular basis.
Try another agency. You may like them a whole lot better.
You can keep using the current agency for the two caregivers who are excellent with your parents.... and call another agency to see if you can get a caregiver for another shift. It's worth a try.
I'm sure the agency's contract is so tight that you'd have to pay a penalty to hire the good workers directly, and that would also create other issues to deal with such as your being an employer.
Countrymouse always gives insightful advice from experience. I would also consider another agency, and/or ask the good workers if they have any suggestions on the problems you're having with the agency, and what appears to be a lack of consideration for you as a client. You might even find out that the good workers aren't satisfied and are looking for employment elsewhere.
Just be circumspect in your actions.
I don't suppose it will ever solve the problem 100% but it's better than driving yourself slowly round the bend!
PS Our service missed a morning call yesterday. A computer mouse slip turned a client from purple (no call) to yellow (pending confirmation) instead of from purple to white (live) on our round spreadsheet. The only reason I suspected an error was that I'd been told the day before that this client was out at an appointment and I couldn't see how she'd be pending anything, so I queried it; but my co-worker on the morning round couldn't possibly have known that - she just didn't go, following her instructions correctly.
I've often told clients that although sadly we are often late, being rather too thin on the ground, we NEVER just don't turn up. I will now have to amend that to *almost* never just don't turn up. Fortunately the client was fine this time.