Back a few months ago the PCA we had coming in was driving us insane. She seemed to be everywhere she didn’t need to be. Well she’s coming back and I was the one that requested her. Go ahead, you can laugh!
Her name is Brenda, she is this petite thing who runs around here like a tornado. She helps mom with her shower, cleans up in the bathroom afterward, makes her breakfast, changes her bed, etc… She doesn’t stop working until everything is done. She also comes at the same time every Mon, Wed, & Fri. Even during the winter when we had tons of snow.
Brenda left when she was offered a client with more hours. Being a single mother, she took it. I was not upset and thought another girl would be fine. NOT
The new one came in and I showed her where everything was. The bathroom closet where all the towels, soap, sheets are kept. I showed her where we keep mom’s oatmeal, the bread, her coffee, and told her anything that is out here mom can eat. If mom wants it, give it to her. Ice cream for breakfast. Yup, if that’s what she wants.
Well, that didn’t work out so well. She was still coming every Mon,Wed, & Fri, but she kept changing her times. One day it was 9:15, one 9:30, and on Weds she can’t come until 9:45. It was really messing my mother up. Time is very confusing to her now, as it is. To have this girl coming at all different times was causing a lot of stress. I explained this to the nurse, I explained it to the coordinator, I explained it to the girl who called last week to tell me the time was going to change another day this week also. To no avail.
Monday was the last straw. I was in my office working so I don’t think she knew I was here. Other then the big yellow bus parked in the driveway. She got here at 9:45, had my mother in the shower, done, dressed, back sitting in chair, coffee, and bed done by 10:15. She then sat and watched tv for the second half hour.
After she left I came out to check on mom. She was totally disgusted. After a walk around the house so was I. The dripping plastic shower curtain was not only hanging on the outside of the tub, it was sitting on the hot baseboard heat. The shower was left on the hand-held setting, pointing out over the shower curtain rod. Two different mornings I have gone in at 4:00 am and thoroughly soaked my bathroom because she won’t shut it off. The kitchen cabinet doors were left open where either the cats could have had themselves a field day or mom could have walked out there and smacked her head. (mom walks bent over and looking down, she only picks her head up if she needs to do something. She wouldn’t have seen the doors open until she picked her head up) Last week she left powder all over the bathroom floor. My husband said it was like a skating rink. He went in and cleaned it up before my mother fell.
I was on the phone with mom’s case worker at Elder Services right away. I told her get another girl here or another agency. I told her Brenda the original girl was free and my mother was more comfortable with her. I was requesting her back, if not I want another agency found. I was given the blah blah blah about no one comes to Barre and I told her fine. If you do not find someone I will and there will be no more money going to Elder Services.
Yesterday she called me back to say Brenda would be starting Monday morning. She will be coming Mon, Wed, and Fri at 8:30. PERFECT!
