As I stated in another section, I worked with mentally and physically disabled and, as HR director, fired most of the caretakers the first six months. They were cruel in every possible way to their charges.
Any slight possibility of going to a place where this type of person may be in charge of my care or assisting me, puts me in a cold sweat. My son and his wife put her dad in a center as he progressed with Parkinson's and I have no doubt whatsoever that will be my fate.
Nothing I saw during my time as HR director gave me hope that kind-hearted people work in these places. It seems the dregs take these jobs because they figure they can take every advantage of the clients. Changing the employment application to insist on higher education, better experience, etc., did nothing to stop caretakers from taking advantage.
What makes it especially horrendous is that if these people are fired, the government regs do not allow HR to say WHY they were fired. Usually, they just go to another site where there are more easy clients to hurt, steal from or worse. The only protection is if the children come EVERY day, always at different times, to check on their family member(s).
I would NEVER put those family members for whom I cared in one of these places. And, that is from a person who cared for a husband who had a massive stroke and never recovered, a brother who had kidney disease and a daughter born with Down's syndrome. All of them were to precious to set aside.
And perhaps the residents can bring glasses of a jug of water.
If he's not protected from the heat, he might have a heat stroke.
Is the wife who leaves her husband in the sun also a resident at the complex?
I would agree that intervention is needed; in the meantime, you could accelerate intervention by calling the police and reporting a vulnerable elder. They'll likely act quickly.
They might at least advise the management that there MIGHT be culpability if the management is aware of the situation and takes no precautions to keep him hydrated and not sunburnt.
and cared for them all at home. Things were different in the
1940's. Thanks for your wisdom.
Question. Live in a 50 unit mixed apt. bldg. Man, maybe 80,
with ALZ sits outside my window all day at picnic table No shade. Maybe 9 to 5. Just sits, no phone, no book, etc. Wife leaves him there. He never strays. He sort of rocks or does rythymic things.???? Is this elder abuse?
Families aren’t incentivized to move an elder or disabled financially. Just the opposite.
Every employee is doj backgrounded, drug tested, tb tested and physically examined. They are told from day one not to accept anything from the client. They mostly accede as doing otherwise would result in immediate termination, and with that loss of their 90 percent Kaiser benefits.
I remember BurntCaregiver once replied to you, that you were at the facilities temporarily; BurntCaregiver explained that one is treated very differently if one is there temporarily or permanently.
My second comment was in reply to JoAnn
My third was in reply to PeggySue
A facility like that has way, way more built in accountability for staff compared with agency or Especially Indy help.
The Indy situation is where you’re most likely to see mutual deniability of accountability. Paying under the table is common. Caregivers moving more of their stuff to the clients house, common. Expectation of meals to suit only the caregivers tastes. If you’re worried about fluid boundaries, a facility would make more sense as they do offer more guarantees.
My brother's ALF was marvelous. Filled top to bottom with absolutely dedicated people.
Sorry for your experience, but do understand it is only YOUR experience.
The experience with the APS worker reminded me of how little tolerance I have for interference in my life, especially by someone half as young as I am. And unless the facility has an organic garden, I wouldn't even consider it!
Magpiemazy, thanks for this frank and insightful assessment. I think the trend toward placing and/or living in facilities has grown to the point that it sometimes can be considered as an automatic alternative to finding coping methods for staying at home.
But when there is abuse involved, then the police should be called in so there is a record of the abuse for those doing background checks. We should not be allowed to send these abusers onto the next place.
It's my belief that compassionate care has to come from the top down as the guiding philosophy of the facility; compassion and respect for their employees translates into the employees being more willing and able to provide compassionate care to their charges. It goes without saying that multinational for profit chains are the least likely to be the ones that accomplish this.