My mom receives hospice care in my home. Until today, I was able to give mom full showers; however, her condition no longer can tolerate.
I myself am in the throes of a Fibro Flare.... I had a CNA come to help me give my mom a bed bath. Is it customary to tip?
Since it no longer guarantees that you will get proper service I think it is a personal decision.
Giving a gift that has a hand written note with enough cash to buy lunch is fine, having to fork over a 50.00 everytime not so much.
I was raised where a large percentage of the population lives on tips, so I am a tipper, because you can see that the jobs are hard, the pay is poor and they work hard usually on their feet all day, so a little thank you by giving a generous tip can change someone's entire day.
I don't think it is a question of ethics.
I agree that care workers are grotesquely underpaid, but tipping is not the answer.
In Florida, according to Zip Recruiter, CNAs working for hospice organizations make less than $15 an hour. CNAs in other care institutions often make less than that - I recently saw an add paying $10.25/hr for CNAs. To me, that's not a living wage, and not to get political, but I am not a proponent of the $15 minimum wage bills being considered in this country. But I think people who provide such personal care for our loved ones SHOULD definitely be paid more than they are. Burger flipping and changing adult diapers are very different things. Since that's the employer side of the equation, though, I say you can - if you wish - tip a person who comes into your (or her) home to provide personal services.
It might not be a bad idea to contact the hospice you are working with to ask about their policies and, as another said, write a nice letter of appreciation for the CNA you're working with, but this is a very low paying industry, shamefully. And we in the Silver Tsunami (aging baby boomers) are just about to bombard the industry in numbers never seen before. I want the person who takes care of me to be well compensated for what has got to be very difficult, backbreaking work. Often thankless.
Our mother - who is an extraordinarily difficult person - has been in a memory care home (small biz that operates 5 care homes around our area with 5 residents each) since January. Despite their sales pitch that they have low CNA turnover, two good ones have left since January. My brother, sister, and I hoped to encourage two good ones left to stay, so we gave the older one who has been there 6 years $100, and the younger one $50. Appreciation and expressing gratitude is nice, but money speaks very loudly! We did not check first with the ownership/management and nothing was mentioned about tipping or gifting in our initial talks. But we are so grateful that they even deal with our mother, we felt very strongly about expressing our gratitude with cash.
It may not be expected, but it is always appreciated, and I frankly don't see anything unethical about it.
There are Boundaries that Hospice establishes and one of the Boundaries is the employees are not permitted to accept a TIP. Most will also limit gifts to $25.00 any greater the gift is usually turned in to the management and it will most likely given to a family in need or used in the facility for staff or for families.
The problem arises when one family can afford to TIP or give a large gift and another family can not. If the staff begins to show preferential treatment to one family over another there could be trouble. Even if there is not special treatment it is the perception of favoritism
You can have an aid as long as Mom is on Hospice. Its part of the service. Take advantage of it.
All Hospice (or if not all of them they should) prohibit gifts to the Nurses, CNA's and other staff greater than $25.00.
Times that it might be appropriate to give a gift...
If you happen to know the persons birthday
Christmas
The best thing you can do is send a note to the CNA's supervisor and tell them that this person has done an outstanding job, is kind, is...whatever else you wish to say. This will go into the persons file. I would also give a copy to the CNA as well. This recognition of good work would be appreciated just as much as a gift.
If you do give a gift do so as a Gift Card. Starbucks, Panera, Dunkin Donuts or other place that she might like.
The CNA that came to help me always came in the morning and since I was getting breakfast ready for my Husband I would ask her if she wanted Oatmeal or sometimes I would have Greek Yogurt and granola or fruit. I always made a pot of coffee the mornings that the Nurse and the CNA came so they would leave with a cup of coffee.
Yes, she's from a hospice agency and I didn't tip because I know from my own experience as a CNA, we couldn't (and wouldn't) accept a tip. I just didn't know if home healthcare was different, or if things had changed along with so much else!
I haven't worked in direct care since the early 80's. Gosh, I feel so old.
I didn't want to insult her one way or the other.
Thank you very much for your help.
Appreciation and warm thanks go a long way, though :)