UHHHH...I just don't know what to say...We were so upfront and honest with this new homecare company about communication being one of our top priorities. However, they just don't seem to get it. This company assured me that they would send a monthly calendar every month... it happened once. They assured me their HHA's were reliable, trustworthy and had a history of longevity. We have had approximately 5 morning caregivers and at least three afternoon people. Do they call me when there is going to be a change of some kind? NO. Yesterday I just happened to be at home for the day. The afternoon caregiver was at least 45 minutes late and no one received a call or notification. She offered no excuse when she finally arrived at almost 4 p.m. The morning caregiver kept asking me if there was anything else to do since I had laundry in the washer. I asked her twice if the dishes were done. I sent her one time to fix my mother's lunch even though my mother said she wasn't hungry. She did fix the lunch but when I went into the kitchen after she left, the morning's cereal bowls were stacked on the sink counter -- not washed and the pans, cutting boards and various other dishes were NOT done. Is it a tough question?!? Are the dishes done??? Maybe I should say Did YOU do the dishes???
I am well aware that dishes are not ever a popular task but they are on the list of things a homemaker can help with so.... maybe we could just do our jobs...
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Teeth
OK. I am not sure I updated on the teeth but... since early January gma has had teeth!!!
There is only one drawback to the teeth. Along with them came a new habit that thankfully seems to be over for now. For about a month, everywhere we went, especially if we were eating but not necessarily only if we were eating, she would whip her teeth out... just the bottom ones and put them in a napkin, tissue (most of you know how much she loves tissues), or just a pocket. Finally, in fear of losing them and not being able to replace them I started carrying a plastic ziploc baggie around with me. Whatever magic that act had, it seems to have made the "whipping my teeth out wherever I am" phenomenon go away. She has only taken her teeth out once since I have been prepared with a baggie.
Some of the fun places I found her teeth: on the table at home, in the drawer of her bedside table, in the chair beside her in the living room, in the tooth cup in the bathroom wrapped in tissues, on the dash of my car, in an ice cream cup at Cold Stone and my personal favorite... in the drink holder of my car.
I think she just likes to keep me hopping!!
There is only one drawback to the teeth. Along with them came a new habit that thankfully seems to be over for now. For about a month, everywhere we went, especially if we were eating but not necessarily only if we were eating, she would whip her teeth out... just the bottom ones and put them in a napkin, tissue (most of you know how much she loves tissues), or just a pocket. Finally, in fear of losing them and not being able to replace them I started carrying a plastic ziploc baggie around with me. Whatever magic that act had, it seems to have made the "whipping my teeth out wherever I am" phenomenon go away. She has only taken her teeth out once since I have been prepared with a baggie.
Some of the fun places I found her teeth: on the table at home, in the drawer of her bedside table, in the chair beside her in the living room, in the tooth cup in the bathroom wrapped in tissues, on the dash of my car, in an ice cream cup at Cold Stone and my personal favorite... in the drink holder of my car.
I think she just likes to keep me hopping!!
Nothing new-- That makes me worried
I don't know what to think. Yesterday was uneventful. No teeth in the dog dish. No turkey in the microwave with foil on top. Glasses were not in a different room than my mother. I'm not quite sure what to make of it. Things just don't go this normally in my household.
Of course, Brenda did come home yesterday so the blow by blow... also known as the every nanosecond of the day report began to happen again. I was not even in the door before I started to hear about what happened in the house. Ty is still not doing anything much. Heather is good but is beginning to ask what Ty does in the afternoons. Apparently, Ty likes her IPad. Not all that surprising.
When the blow by blow report died down a bit I asked what she did all last week while she was gone. I will one day learn to re-phrase things like that because suddenly every nanosecond of her week was spilling out... "well, after I got there we went to lunch and to Walmart in Troy we were going to pick her son up but Pam had a bathroom problem and we had to go home... then we went back to pick her son up at work he doesn't drive..." Silly me, I said "Does her son work at Walmart in Troy?" "No he works at H&M (or S&M or whatever the initials are)..." the stories continued in minute detail until well into dinner.
I announced that I would not be home on Weds. for dinner because I have dinner plans. I stressed that Brenda is in charge of cooking the frozen Meals On Wheels dinners. We will see if that happens. Feeling the need for escape and since it wasn't time to go to Bible study I went out on the porch to dig in the dirt a bit and plant some of the flowers that are dying on my front porch. I had not been in my safe spot for 5 minutes when Brenda appears on the porch with her car keys in her hand. I glanced up and said "where are you going? " (Since we were going to the same Bible Study I thought we would ride together.) She said "are you going to Bible Study?" I said "Yes. but it isn't time yet." She said "I know but I didn't know if I would need my jacket." I was very nice... bit my tongue and didn't say "You are the one who sits in front of the TV all day and I am the one who heard them say it would still be 70 degrees at Midnight?!?"
So the saga of my life --running the Shawlers, Inc nursing home continues.
Of course, Brenda did come home yesterday so the blow by blow... also known as the every nanosecond of the day report began to happen again. I was not even in the door before I started to hear about what happened in the house. Ty is still not doing anything much. Heather is good but is beginning to ask what Ty does in the afternoons. Apparently, Ty likes her IPad. Not all that surprising.
When the blow by blow report died down a bit I asked what she did all last week while she was gone. I will one day learn to re-phrase things like that because suddenly every nanosecond of her week was spilling out... "well, after I got there we went to lunch and to Walmart in Troy we were going to pick her son up but Pam had a bathroom problem and we had to go home... then we went back to pick her son up at work he doesn't drive..." Silly me, I said "Does her son work at Walmart in Troy?" "No he works at H&M (or S&M or whatever the initials are)..." the stories continued in minute detail until well into dinner.
I announced that I would not be home on Weds. for dinner because I have dinner plans. I stressed that Brenda is in charge of cooking the frozen Meals On Wheels dinners. We will see if that happens. Feeling the need for escape and since it wasn't time to go to Bible study I went out on the porch to dig in the dirt a bit and plant some of the flowers that are dying on my front porch. I had not been in my safe spot for 5 minutes when Brenda appears on the porch with her car keys in her hand. I glanced up and said "where are you going? " (Since we were going to the same Bible Study I thought we would ride together.) She said "are you going to Bible Study?" I said "Yes. but it isn't time yet." She said "I know but I didn't know if I would need my jacket." I was very nice... bit my tongue and didn't say "You are the one who sits in front of the TV all day and I am the one who heard them say it would still be 70 degrees at Midnight?!?"
So the saga of my life --running the Shawlers, Inc nursing home continues.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
OK. I am not sure I updated on the teeth but since early January gma has had teeth!!!
There is only one drawback to the teeth. Along with them came a new habit that thankfully seems to be over for now. For about a month, everywhere we went, especially if we were eating but not necessarily only if we were eating, she would whip her teeth out... just the bottom ones and put them in a napkin, tissue (most of you know how much she loves tissues), or just a pocket. Finally, in fear of losing them and not being able to replace them I started carrying a plastic ziploc baggie around with me. Whatever magic that act had, it seems to have made the whipping my teeth out wherever I am phenomenon go away. She has only taken her teeth out once since I have been prepared with a baggie.
Some of the fun places I found her teeth: on the table at home, in the drawer of her bedside table, in the chair beside her in the living room, in the tooth cup in the bathroom wrapped in tissues, on the dash of my car, in an ice cream cup at Cold Stone and my personal favorite... in the drink holder of my car.
I think she just likes to keep me hopping!!
There is only one drawback to the teeth. Along with them came a new habit that thankfully seems to be over for now. For about a month, everywhere we went, especially if we were eating but not necessarily only if we were eating, she would whip her teeth out... just the bottom ones and put them in a napkin, tissue (most of you know how much she loves tissues), or just a pocket. Finally, in fear of losing them and not being able to replace them I started carrying a plastic ziploc baggie around with me. Whatever magic that act had, it seems to have made the whipping my teeth out wherever I am phenomenon go away. She has only taken her teeth out once since I have been prepared with a baggie.
Some of the fun places I found her teeth: on the table at home, in the drawer of her bedside table, in the chair beside her in the living room, in the tooth cup in the bathroom wrapped in tissues, on the dash of my car, in an ice cream cup at Cold Stone and my personal favorite... in the drink holder of my car.
I think she just likes to keep me hopping!!
More Adventures in Caregiving
Last night was an adventure...
I arrive home to smell something (can't quite identify it) cooking. Remembering that I had a piece of turkey breast marinating in the fridge when I left yesterday morning I could only think "Oh no, what is my turkey breast swimming in?!?"
Well, it was neatly in the glass dish that I had left it in. I had covered the dish with foil hoping it may not be discovered in the fridge. Much to my horror, when I arrived in the kitchen, I found the dish spinning in the microwave.. WITH THE FOIL still on top!!! The Microwave was set on the highest setting. Let me tell you, suddenly I forgot that my hips and knee had been killing me all day. I RAN to the microwave, turned it off and promptly removed the dish with its foil not yet on fire. Major house fire averted... this time...
When my heart began to beat again, I asked my mother what she was thinking that foil in the microwave was a prescription for burning down the house. She said she didn't want to eat at Midnight so she started dinner. It didn't matter that we have NEVER eaten dinner at Midnight or that it was only 5:15 p.m. She was sure she had done the right thing by starting dinner. Then the guilt started "I was only trying to help". I told her I appreciated her help but that was the kind of help we could all do without. I asked her what she was going to do if the house burned down.
No answer for that one except the answer she learned from Adam-- "I didn't mean to do it".
Explanation of this phrase: I didn't mean to do it applies for anything from breaking the 4th washer to leaving the dogs out in the heat for hours to using a dish towel for a mop rag on the kitchen floor. It is a VERY popular phrase in the world where I live.
I arrive home to smell something (can't quite identify it) cooking. Remembering that I had a piece of turkey breast marinating in the fridge when I left yesterday morning I could only think "Oh no, what is my turkey breast swimming in?!?"
Well, it was neatly in the glass dish that I had left it in. I had covered the dish with foil hoping it may not be discovered in the fridge. Much to my horror, when I arrived in the kitchen, I found the dish spinning in the microwave.. WITH THE FOIL still on top!!! The Microwave was set on the highest setting. Let me tell you, suddenly I forgot that my hips and knee had been killing me all day. I RAN to the microwave, turned it off and promptly removed the dish with its foil not yet on fire. Major house fire averted... this time...
When my heart began to beat again, I asked my mother what she was thinking that foil in the microwave was a prescription for burning down the house. She said she didn't want to eat at Midnight so she started dinner. It didn't matter that we have NEVER eaten dinner at Midnight or that it was only 5:15 p.m. She was sure she had done the right thing by starting dinner. Then the guilt started "I was only trying to help". I told her I appreciated her help but that was the kind of help we could all do without. I asked her what she was going to do if the house burned down.
No answer for that one except the answer she learned from Adam-- "I didn't mean to do it".
Explanation of this phrase: I didn't mean to do it applies for anything from breaking the 4th washer to leaving the dogs out in the heat for hours to using a dish towel for a mop rag on the kitchen floor. It is a VERY popular phrase in the world where I live.
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