care work - difficult people

Errata

If a client wants their trash taking out and that's part of a careworkers duties then it doesn't matter if the bag only contains an eggshell. If a client wants their kitchen waste taken out of the kitchen via the back door, then that's what happens.
A clients house may be a careworkers place of work, but first and foremost it is the clients home and it and the client are deserving of respect.
I wonder if the OP has asked the client what else they can do for her ? For instance, who cleans the kitchen sink and worktops? Who cleans the shower, basin and lavatory ? Who makes the bed and changes the bedding ? Who puts a load in the washing machine and takes it out, and who is responsible for drying it ? etc etc I mention all this because these are some of the jobs that my stepdad's careworkers did, and none of them take more than 5 or 10 minutes.

WhiteHorse

honeyD:

If the situation is making you ill, it's no good. Nor are bullying and gratuitous unpleasantness part of the contract.

honeyD

I have asked many times if there is more I can do for her, she says theres nothing more to do and she doesnt know why she gets us. Ive told her I can do her laundry for her if she would like that, she just said "oh can you" and that is all. I dont know who changes the bed to be honest but its not me or any of the other carers who go. She also sometimes says I can wash the floor, but Im not allowed to do that and I said that to her and she said I know I was pulling your leg kinda thing. So I dont know, if I ask and she doesnt tell me what she wants then how can I do something? See what I mean? Its a ridiculous situation.

elainey_2

I_know_my_ABC_and_my_CMYK wrote: »

Is it also possible to ask for a carer NOT to be sent to a particular elderly person?

I have a problem with a carer that sometimes is sent to my father. For some reason she makes a point of phoning me up and she is a total !!!!! on the phone with me, she's really nasty, I have absolutely no idea why she is like this, she only does it to me, and it concerns me what her caring is like towards my father.

Yes you can - we've had a problem with a carer who used to come out to my mum, she didn't do the things she was supposed to do properly, and actually injured my mum's leg on one occasion. We simply requested that she didn't come to us again. And now she doesn't (this particular carer has a reputation within the company, and several clients have requested that she doesn't visit them either...)

Hope this helps
Love elaine xx

Savvy_Sue

The request might need to come from the client direct, at least in some situations, but there's nothing to stop you contacting the agency to complain about their phone calls. Is it what they say or the way they say it? Is phoning you part of their duties?

MrsE_2

alwaysonthego wrote: »

I am afraid it is the nature of the job, you will come across very difficult service users at times, but it is how you handle the situation that matters. BTW you should not be watching tv whilst on shift, could be why she gets shirty especially if she is contributing to the care fees.

I can't understand this "if I'm done within 30 minutes" I can go early attitude????

We are talking about 10-15 mins here, there is ALWAYS something that can be done in a house to pass that time - no matter how clean your house is.

TBH if the elderly lady is paying for 30 minutes & feels the people serving her home needs are not mature & enough or do not have enough "go" about themselves to fill their time then I'm not surprised she follows you around telling you how to do things OP!!!

I manage my own workload, I am mature enough to do that & so are my team. I would feel I was managing children if they couldn't find things to do with their time.

honeyD

MrsE wrote: »

I can't understand this "if I'm done within 30 minutes" I can go early attitude????

We are talking about 10-15 mins here, there is ALWAYS something that can be done in a house to pass that time - no matter how clean your house is.

TBH if the elderly lady is paying for 30 minutes & feels the people serving her home needs are not mature & enough or do not have enough "go" about themselves to fill their time then I'm not surprised she follows you around telling you how to do things OP!!!

I manage my own workload, I am mature enough to do that & so are my team. I would feel I was managing children if they couldn't find things to do with their time.

Did you not read all of the thread? I havent been leaving before my 30 minutes are up which seemed to help a little. Posting on here made me realise that it is unfair to do that but that is what the company told me to do. Ive stopped. Anyway now we only get paid for how long we are there so if I leave at 20 mins thats all I get paid for.
You dont understand what its like, you arent there to see her behaviour or mine. I am nothing but polite and want to help and do things rather than sit but her house IS perfect, there is absolutely nothing to do that I can find. I would hoover or mop but that is against the rules for insurance reasons. Lets not forget Im there for personal care and not a domestic call. If she is up and ready because she doesnt want the early call, theres not a lot of "personal care" I can do!
To go in and try to help, being polite and a placid person and to be insulted like I was today.. no thankyou, not what I go to work for.
To label me immature is unfair, so I dont know why you are saying that. I have had difficult times and suffered from depression and anxiety before I took this job I sorted myself out but this makes me feel like Im taking a step back. I will not be spoken to like a piece of poop on her shoe. I have tried and tried.
To stand and let people insult you and say untrue things while you have to stand there smiling sweetly, its not so easy!

Savvy_Sue

We may be being a bit hard on the OP here. My mother sounds a bit like this client, although she doesn't have a carer coming in, but every now and again she has a moan about the fact that she doesn't think her (private) cleaner stays the full 4 hours (she's usually out). And yet she won't leave a list of "If you have time" jobs, and doesn't like the cleaner doing certain things, and she won't TALK to the cleaner about this!

This lady also cleans for my sister, she does a very good job, not many people would want to clean for my mother (for various reasons), and as my sister says, does she want the cleaner on a go slow or just hanging around at the end of her time? I wonder too if the cleaner includes her travel time in her 4 hours, but as Mum won't talk to her, we'll never know ...

I just KNOW that if Mum had a carer going in, she would not want some things done, she would go out of her way to show that she didn't 'need' the carer, she wouldn't want the person to stand around, or do anything useful, or leave early.

There may not be many clients like that, but there are certainly some!

jhe

honeyD after doing care work/support work for 26 year i developed a thick skin and didnt let service users get to me, you will never please everyone, if i finished my duty before the 30 mins i just explained i would be putting the exact time i was there on my timesheet, so i wasnt gaining anything by leaving early.i also explain that i have other service users waiting for me if nothing else was required of me. i always explained it politely but firmly. i learned over the years not to be intimidated by difficult service users.i just learned to grit my teeth.when this lady is getting to you just remember all the pleasant people you go to who appreciate you and the worthwhile job you are doing.

Errata

To stand and let people insult you and say untrue things while you have to stand there smiling sweetly, its not so easy!

The contract between your agency and its clients should make clear that verbal abuse will not be tolerated. Why are you not reporting the abuse to your manager?