Mom has had Homehealth for over a year. OT, PT and an aide 3 to 5x week. It's a lot to manage this schedule with dr appts, lab test and the various nurses that come in too. We've had to deal with minor schedule changes before, but this new change is really screwing up everything and making more housework for me, upsetting my Mom (early riser morning person), etc. I'm going to have to reschedule everybody (all therapists, meals, doctors, lab tests, and MY LIFE ) around the aide now because the agencies can't find any other aide who can come before 9:30am or in the evenings around bedtime on weekdays. Previously, we've had no trouble getting an aide at 7:30am or 8am. Mom is not going to stay in bed until 930; she's going to get up and insist on getting dressed and out of the overnight diaper (as she should - who wouldn't); so she'll put on clean stuff just to take it off in a few hours for a shower. We have hygiene and immune compromise issues. I see using up more supplies and doing more laundry because she's not go8bg to put back on worn stuff after a shower, right?
Guess we've been lucky. But I'm really upset that they can't find ANYONE in this huge metro area who can come at a time that doesn't up-end our entire schedule.
Any suggestions on how to deal either with Homehealth management or just deal with this change?
Not sure if I would change appts and labs already scheduled. Sometimes its hard to get a new appt especially with specialist. Your kind of at their mercy. Labs, do you take her out for them? Some in homes have "draw stations". They can draw the blood at ur home and send it out from their office. Some Labs offer this.
I do better with a routine and like you people coming in and out of my house just screws me up. But, to get Mom the care she needs, we just have to bite the bullet.
I would also wonder if Mom needs to go to her Doctors as much as they request. My husband has been going to a urologist regularly every 6 months. I told him since everything seems OK and there have been no changes ask the Dr. if he can come once a year. The dr says he wants to do one more exam and then once a year would be fine. I did this with my mothers doctors too. Once she was stable and Meds were working the Dr agreed to once a year. I could always call if I felt something was wrong. A couple of doctors I dropped when it got harder to get out and about. Her PCP could catch any problem and then back to the specialist. Same with meds. You need to go over them with her doctor to see if somecare still needed. Ex: Mom was put on a med to slow her heart down because of thyroid problems. Once on meds for the thyroid her numbers came back to normal but her PCP never dropped the drug. So I questioned it, he agreed and stopped the med.
I'm a person who needs routine, but I can adjust. Mom is a fixed creature of habit - esp her mealtimes, med times and daily routines.
Found out aide CAN'T come at 930am except Wednesdays and possibly Saturdays; she's booked solid the other days except varying afternoon times all other days. Afternoon showers are just not going to work.
OT said Mom can do OT in her jammies and overlap a little with the aide because ADLs is what we're concentrating on esp. They upped her OT back to 5x week! I must have used the right buzz words with the evaluator. :)
PT will have to come in the afternoons. He's only 3x week now. Mom can't do all that exercise right after eating; it will come back up.
I have come to cherish my morning time and not have to be "on it" until 1030am ( Mom's a habitual late breakfast eater). She's not allowed to cook, so it's one of the things I gladly do for her.
Gonna call the two agencies Monday morning to see about our options. We have one physician agency that manages EVERYTHING Homehealth and the other that staffs the actual therapists, nurses and aides. It's a blessing to not have to find all these people myself, but I may have to find an independent aide and process the insurance myself. UGH.
I just can't fathom how they can't find other personnel. We live in HOUSTON. It's one of the largest cities in the country and is a worldwide known city for medical care. Makes me wonder what's going on in the Homehealth industry right now. Previous changes were caused by upper management and contract negotiations/terminations.
One thing is for sure, I'm buying Mom more special underwear today. Cheaper in the long run than depens and better for her mentally to wear normal clothes during the daytime.