Anyone working in assisted living.

[Julie19, CNA]

Hi!

Okay, so I have been working in an Alzheimer's unit of an assisted living facility for nearly a year now and sometimes it still blows my mind how assisted living differs from nursing homes.

We aren't allowed the use of lifts (you can imagine what it's like getting them up in the morning), housekeeping is nonexistent so we do all the cleaning, we don't offer a diabetes friendly menu and our diabetic residents' sugar is often through the roof, food is plated by CNA's so it's not measured and rarely kept at right temp, employees don't have to have their CNA cert to work there and most of my coworkers don't know to wash their hands after each and every resident. Some of them even wear the same gloves from room to room during changes. We also aren't allowed to use any kind of restraints but we have family members that bring in sensors (little alarm goes off when they move) and bed nets to keep them from falling out of bed. It's a tough situation because these aren't doctor ordered and I'm not sure what state will do when they visit.

Is all assisted living facilities like this? I love my residents but sometimes I feel like if I have to work one more day at that place I will start screaming and not stop.

[hrsthecna]

I have rewritten this about five times trying to word it carefully and not say anything harsh haha.

Working in assisted living has been one of the most rewarding and most aggravating, draining, freak-out inducing experiences of my life. I am going to become a HHA this Spring for this reason and I am not working in assisted living again. I was responsible for too many people at a time for all their needs (you clearly know what I'm talking about--serving meals, lifting people by myself, catheter care, etc) and there was just no way to get it done to my standards.

There are good places out there, but boy do we have to dig for them! And there are other good CNAs too! You aren't alone in how you feel :)

PS--Don't be afraid to report things that can really hurt people like the lack of hand washing and glove changing.

[h_kitty, CNA]

When I first got my cna, I worked in assisted living for a about a weelk before I quit. Here in California, assisted livings only hire caregivers I believe . So you don't have to be certified, which means people really aren't educated. I remember the lady who I was shadowing at sunrise wore the same gloves on the whole upstairs unit ( dementia unit) and I saw her lifting wrong, pulling arms, turning people wrong.. It's an assisted living so its not medical. They do have training videos when you first start, but they're very brief. Caregivers at assisted livings should definitely get more training from what I've seen

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

RE: "and most of my coworkers don't know to wash their hands after each and every resident. Some of them even wear the same gloves from room to room during changes. We also aren't allowed to use any kind of restraints"

This is going on in the skilled nursing facility I work at. >> )-:

[rosey2012]

I just got down working in an assisted living place and could not believe what they get away with. I don't see how these places only have to hire care givers and not CNA's.

[Anonymous2]

Hi!

Okay, so I have been working in an Alzheimer's unit of an assisted living facility for nearly a year now and sometimes it still blows my mind how assisted living differs from nursing homes.

We aren't allowed the use of lifts (you can imagine what it's like getting them up in the morning), housekeeping is nonexistent so we do all the cleaning, we don't offer a diabetes friendly menu and our diabetic residents' sugar is often through the roof, food is plated by CNA's so it's not measured and rarely kept at right temp, employees don't have to have their CNA cert to work there and most of my coworkers don't know to wash their hands after each and every resident. Some of them even wear the same gloves from room to room during changes. We also aren't allowed to use any kind of restraints but we have family members that bring in sensors (little alarm goes off when they move) and bed nets to keep them from falling out of bed. It's a tough situation because these aren't doctor ordered and I'm not sure what state will do when they visit.

Is all assisted living facilities like this? I love my residents but sometimes I feel like if I have to work one more day at that place I will start screaming and not stop.

I work at assisted living as a caregiver, I don't have my CNA. I was hired with zero experience. We have housekeeping 24/7. Residents meals are made to their diet, all the snacks are sugar free. Sometimes I get an easy run that I have nothing to do for hours so I have to keep myself busy (look busy).

[deaglemck]

Two of the girls I work with don't even wear gloves at the assisted living facility I work for.

[livingonaprayer14]

I myself work for assisted living facility. I started out as a caregiver then moved up to a med tech. I've had great days and I've had horrible days. The assited living I work for requires doctors orders for everything such as hospital bed, siderails (1x 1/2 hospital rail) 2 siderails is a form of restraints in ALF, meds, hold orders, self adminsters, microwaves in rooms, tosters in rooms, basically everything needs to have an order in ALF. My ALF is like a SNF only these residents tend to be a little more independent. I'm not sure about nets while residents are in beds to prevent falls. I have seen floor mats being used in ALF to prevent injuries from residents falling out of bed. Floor mats do require dr orders as well. My rule of thumb for my falling stars is when they are up and potientally will fall I put them in a w/c at the nurses station and offer snacks and milk at night to help them go to sleep. Once they are good and ready for bed I help them back to bed. Sometimes these residents want to have conversation. Maybe they would like to help you fold towels or something let them help. Just got to get creative.