How to manage when home health care aide is not available?

Certainly, call other agencies if you're not satisfied with who you have. Don't assume they all have the same staffing problems.

Di, I think that flaky aids is a common problem no matter what else is going on.

Find out if you can employ 2 separate agencies to ensure that your mom is getting the care she needs. This would give you a larger employee pool to choose from.

I would also encourage dad and mom to tell you the names of the aides they like best and then see if you can request those aides specifically.

This is a difficult job and it hugely underpaid, so unfortunately it doesn't really draw people that have lots of ambition to be there no matter what and be stellar while there. Not saying that there aren't some amazing people doing these jobs, saying it is difficult to find them.

Best of luck and thank you for stepping up and doing your essential job so the rest of us can continue to have the essentials right now. Everyone doing that has my gratitude and admiration.

If you're thinking of placing them both together, it might take a while to find placement. Unfortunately, it is very common for aides to call out. Is there another agency you can use? You could call the hospice company and threaten to transfer your Mom's care to a different agency if they call out like this on your Dad. They get big bucks reimbursement for Hospice care; try to put your foot down on all the calling out. I'm sorry this is happening!

I went through four different agencies before finally finding one with reliable caregivers. I recommend asking thorough questions of each agency, the current one I'm using raised pay and increased minimum hours to keep caregivers showing up.

In the time of COVID-19, all bets are off regarding healthcare workers. I just spent 3 months in a SNF as the news of virus gradually grew in our understanding and PPE available for staff. As the crisis progressed, the fear of staff grew and grew. Their lives are at stake. I praised them for showing up.

Good luck. I live in Pa. , and caregivers in this state are either calling out sick or quitting their jobs because they fear the Covid-19 problem, My wife has Parkinsons and I am taking care of her. I had to quit working to care for her, but I still would like to find an agency caregiver. My wife has to take her Parkinsons meds. every 4 hours, which is burning me out. Good caregivers or even a half good caregiver are a rare commodity. Good luck.

Please find another agency.
I was a CNA for several years. I was never allowed to call my client. I could call my supervisor and another caregiver would be sent to the client.

Is there any way you can take a leave of absence until you can get this situation straightened out? Nobody will be as reliable as you. Just wondering. Good luck.

it is going to be very difficult to find anyone to work (other than people already employed) because of the additional 600 federal unemployment (on top of regular state), until 7/31.   I don't like paying off the books, but you may have to.  If your church or community has an electronic bulletin board, might try that.

It may be time to hire a fulltime caregiver and allow the agency to be the back-up.

My MIL had round the clock home health aides until a place opened in an adult day program. Then, she switched to ADP and a night time caregiver, When COVID-19 hit, she switched to 2 caregivers - 1 for daytime and 1 for nighttime. Maybe one of these options will work for you.