OzBound

I used to work for a family similar to that here in Orlando. We took care of the parents. ( one who was 90 and the other 86 ) They lived in a gated community on a golf course and the one daughter would come in never empty handed with a drink disguised in her soda cup. The family would come and go, but they were so uppity and treated us like maids. One family member would come over and when you would ask him a question or say goodbye, he would just look at you then keep walking. Now, I know plenty of people with money and they don't behave that way. The client was even rude, never calling us by our names, but things like...YuuuuHoooo girl..girl in the kitchen, where are you. Hellooooo girl in the back, I need something. Then when people would come over, she would tell them we were there to wait on everyone. $10 an hour to take care of two people with feeding, meds, laundry, bathing the dog every other day because she would feed the Maltese ham, cheese, sloppy joe, waffles, chocolate etc and it pooped everywhere to include their bed. What I never could understand was how they all acted so uppity, but neither parent had taken a bath in the MONTHS I worked there and the other caregivers told me they had never seen them bathe either. I used to find extra pills in the med trays sometimes. ( I'm guessing it was when the daughter had a little too much to drink ). I finally had to walk away before a disaster happened. Mom was a diabetic and they allowed her to spray tons of whipped cream on fruit. There were at all times at least 5 cans in the fridge. When I asked why this was, the daughter replied " Well, she's 86, let her eat what she wants". Oh and when I applied, they came right out and asked me what I looked like. " are you pretty, what color hair do you have, etc" I was like...uh are you asking me if I am black or white, she said oh nooo, Mother is jealous over Dad so we are looking for someone who isn't realy pretty. Now, I'm a pretty smart person, and knowing what I do now about them being racists, I tend to believe they were more wondering my skin color, then my beauty. Might have been a little of both. Never have I been asked what I looked like. Oh girls..I got more...stay tuned!

Thank you all for your responses and advice. I agree it's time to go.

I live in Florida and was curious to know if home health aids and cna's can give meds. They have weekly med trays filled with meds the daughter fills but who knows whats in there. Also, they crush the Dads meds and we aren't sure if some are time released.

Hello all.. I hope everyone is enjoying this holiday season. Okay, I have some concerns and I've always been able to come here and get some really good advice, here I am again. I am currently doing home health for two elderly people with dementia/possible alzheimers ( the reason I say possible is because they've never really gotten a definitive diagnosis, since she refused to return to her memory clinic appointment ). However, she forgets words, says things that are completely off the wall, and has mood swings. The other care givers have been there for a year and a half and have this log book that they write everything down in. Well, if you read back, you see warning signs of a potential disaster. Yet the family removes these logs daily. The woman who is 86 sits in her recliner 12 hours a day and pee's in her depends. She doesn't get up, she refuses to be changed and if you push the issue she calls her daughters and has you removed from her house. So she sits in urine all day. She has med trays and Lord only knows what meds are in there, but we are required to give them to both her and her 90 year old husband three and four times a day. His we crush and I'mnot sure if all are crushable. Again, I asked and they said they had no idea. He also sits in urine soaked depends, even tho he gets up every 10 min to go to the bathroom via his walker that nearly causes him to fall over. She is a diabetic and eats candy, has 5 cans of whipped cream in the refrig because she likes strawberries and refuses to eat them without it.She sprays them, eats the whipped cream then repeats this 3 times. I've expressed my concerns over her being a diabetic and the masses of suger but the daughter says that she's 86 and can do what she wants. A visiting RN came and sent her to the Er for Altered Mental Status and they sent her right back home because the daughter who doesn't like to spend time in the hospital tells them things are ok. So back home she came. They pay us cash under the table with no worker comp. I've already been bruised in my side by her nearly falling. Another girl was hit. There are 4 of us who come and go. I'm really worried about passing meds to them when I have no idea what they are. Neither one of them can take meds on their own. I also worry about them never moving all day. Isn't it illegal for them to pay us under the table with no workers comp incase something should happen. What about passing meds..them sitting in urine all day etc. They are a very wealthy family, and I think they worry that putting them in a safe nursing home will cost them more money. Thank yor all for listening and for your help.

Hello all.. I hope everyone is enjoying this holiday season. Okay, I have some concerns and I've always been able to come here and get some really good advice, here I am again. I am currently doing home health for two elderly people with dementia/possible alzheimers ( the reason I say possible is because they've never really gotten a definitive diagnosis, since she refused to return to her memory clinic appointment ). However, she forgets words, says things that are completely off the wall, and has mood swings. The other care givers have been there for a year and a half and have this log book that they write everything down in. Well, if you read back, you see warning signs of a potential disaster. Yet the family removes these logs daily. The woman who is 86 sits in her recliner 12 hours a day and pee's in her depends. She doesn't get up, she refuses to be changed and if you push the issue she calls her daughters and has you removed from her house. So she sits in urine all day. At bedtime she may change her brief. They have not had a shower in months because they refuse to take them. She has med trays and Lord only knows what meds are in there, but we are required to give them to both her and her 90 year old husband three and four times a day. His we crush and I'mnot sure if all are crushable. Again, I asked and they said they had no idea. He also sits in urine soaked depends, even tho he gets up every 10 min to go to the bathroom via his walker that nearly causes him to fall over. She is a diabetic and eats candy, has 5 cans of whipped cream in the refrig because she likes strawberries and refuses to eat them without it.She sprays them, eats the whipped cream then repeats this 3 times. I've expressed my concerns over her being a diabetic and the masses of suger but the daughter says that she's 86 and can do what she wants. Both parents ( 90 and 86 ) sleep in their bedroom and the door must be cosed 98% of the way and if you go in there they scream for you to leave so basically, you have to listen during an all night 15 hour shift to hear movement. By the time you get there they are struggling up and are a potential fall risk. They've actually fallen several times. A visiting RN came and sent her to the Er for Altered Mental Status and they sent her right back home because the daughter who doesn't like to spend time in the hospital tells them things are ok. So back home she came. They pay us cash under the table with no worker comp. I've already been bruised in my side by her nearly falling. Another girl was hit. There are 4 of us who come and go. I'm really worried about passing meds to them when I have no idea what they are. Neither one of them can take meds on their own. I also worry about them never moving all day. Isn't it illegal for them to pay us under the table with no workers comp incase something should happen. What about passing meds..them sitting in urine all day etc. They are a very wealthy family, and I think they worry that putting them in a safe nursing home will cost them more money. Thank yor all for listening and for your help.

Again, my answer is this...Jolie. I said she told me that the administrator had no problem with this on occasion. I like to think about things and get advice before I simply run and do things.

Thank you very much for being so understaning, helpful and kind.

I have a toddler, a family and work 40 plus hours a week. I am not able to spend all day and night online. I'm not exactly sure about the homework assignment question other than an attempt at sarcasm.

Thanet, you seem mighty defensive where there is no need to be. Advising me to get a good lawyer is silly and your post was borderline aggressive. It was a simple question. Yes, I have battled with myself back and forth over this for a few months now. How did I know this was flexeril? I was there when she was putting it in the envelope. I was also there when she said she was taking it down to the parking lot. I was there when she handed it to the person and I asked how she was able to do this. I even joked on how this felt like she was doing a parking lot drug deal. However she assured me this was not a big deal. Now, for those who seem almost angry in some of your posts, let me inform you that I was told that the former administrator would allow her staff to get their personal medications from the pharmacy should they forget them at home on a particular day. From what I gathered, she didn't want them to make it a habit, but once in a while was okay. Not being an RN myself, I don't know all the rules which is why I was asking ( Thanet ) I thought this was a place where we could converse and get information. I really don't think I need legal advice Thanet, but I sure appreciate the thought.

Until last week I have been working for the Department of Corrections and I quit due to so many horrible things taking place at the jail I worked for. Non documented medication errors ( an order was written for trazadone and the inmate was given thorazine for 4 days until they saw the error but still never documented it ) back dating physical exams that were over 14 days and so on. However, the one that concerns me the most is when I first started there I was with one of the RN's and the director of nursing called her on the phone and when we left for the day, the director of nursing, who happened to be off that day drove up. The RN handed her an envelope full of flexeril in the parking lot that she had stolen from the stock medication in the pharmacy at work. Any thoughts?