ladybug888today

Hello, Ihave been a home health aide for 6 months and for the same family. I love my patient to death and have become very close with the family and I do basic care like making dinner for him, bathing and dressing.. then comes the exercise. For the past few months we either did short walks or leg strengthening exercises and this included squats too. My patient is 86 years old and has alzheimers disease. But lately, the family has been telling me he needs to walk more, and a lot longer. I'm thinking, he has a hard time walking now, and they want him to walk more? Their greatest fear is that he ends up in a wheelchair, this is what they tell me, which I do believe them. So, this past week, for the first time, his wife told me he needs to walk down to the grocery store which is about 2 miles from the house... I'm thinking, you expect him to walk that far? They have been asking me to walk him this far for a while, but I have been hesitant to do so in fear of him getting stuck or something else... anyway, yesterday was the first day we did walk 2 miles, and the first mile was okay, walking slow then resting, etc. but coming back was torture for him and I. He was getting tired, or so he says... I call his wife and ask her if she can pick us up with her car since she is home. She goes to tell me he's being stubborn and he can walk home, its not that far. So to make a long story shorter, I ended up calling her again, and she doesn't answer the phone. So when we finally get home, she just tells me my patient is manipulative and very lazy.. Can you believe this? I couldn't. And also, the daughter tells me the same thing.. So sad. almost abuse in my opinion. I would love to hear what you all think about this situation. She tells me he "used" to talk to the store all the time, then I said when? she said last year.. I don't believe her. I need some advice and I would hate to leave this family, they are really nice to me. Thanks in advance

Hello, I'd appreciate any advice on this situation. I currently working in a home where the mother and daughter are in the kitchen where my patient 87 alzheimers man sits. He make a comment like "Did you leave yet? and then he laughs... Well the mother and daughter didn't think it was funny and they begin arguing with him. He is my patient.. my question is , should I be in the same room with them while they are arguing with my patient as to why he says certain things? I really don't want to get in the middle of family arguments, but as a caregiver (me), do I need to stay and try to calm the situation? I was doing to say it was the alzheimers talking, but they are not at that point where they even want to accept the alzheimers yet... and I'd hate to hurt their feelings. Any suggestions or comments will be greatly appreciated.

I work for a nurse registry and they don't have nurses that give advice. they told me when I was hired that I am basically on my own, like self employed.. Anyone familiar with this? I am per diem, only a few hours a week for now. I will suggest the urinal, great idea. What is a Geri pad? And where can I get one? Thank so much for the advice.

A nurse registry is just where you sign up and after they find you work, you are basically on your own. That's what they told me.. So, I don't feel comfortable working on my own since I am new to Home health.. I need to be able to ask question to a nurse at a home health agency as opposed to a nurse registry..there is a difference. Nurse registry, you are on your own, like you have your own business and they just send you out as per diem. It was wrong for my school to send me out to this place, what were they thinking?

Hello, I was hoping I can get some advise or ideas on my situation.. I am new to home health and am a home health aide.. My situation is that my patient has Alzheimers and he is incontinent some of the time.. What is happening is that he is wearing pads and as sits in his chair, when he feels he has to go to the bathroom, instead of going on the pad he will pull his member out and just go in the chair. His wife yells at him when he does this, and I know with alzheimers patient it doesn't do any good. She was looking at me for advice, but I am new, and I just suggested for him to try diapers.. but.. if he still pulls out his member to go pee, whats the use? Anyone ever been confronted with this problem? All advise is greatly appreciated.

Thanks for all your advise, I did have another talk with the wife, and we are working on getting a chair and some non-slid mats too.

Hello, I am new to home health, and work in homes as a home health aide. Currently registered with a nurse registry, still wondering how this works. I have a client whose wife refuses or is in denial that her husband needs to have a chair in the shower. Right now when he rinses his hair, he has to do a back bend just to rinse his hair. I saw that and I freaked out. Oh my, its just a matter of time before a fall. They are willing to get him non slip shoes, but so far no shower chair or hose. And when he walks, he hangs onto the bureau and the walls, etc. refusing to use his cane. The wife said he only uses the cane when he goes outside.. I don't think so. I think denial is very big here, what do you all think? Since I am on my own, I have no one to ask.. I am not sure if the nurse registry will work with me since I am a contractor... Any advise is appreciated.

Thank you, I will need to get a copy of the contract, which was my first mistake.. I was so nervous in the interview, and new to work, I just went with what they said.. not a good thing to do for myself.

I have recently finished my training for home health aide and my school set me up with an interview with a Nurses Registry. They had me sign a contract, and they said I was per diem. I am currently working with one client, 8 hours a week. I need more hours and my agency has not given me any. My question is, since I signed a contract with this nurse registry, am I allowed to work for another home health agency on the side? This was all new to me, and I did not understand what a nurse registry was. I am afraid to leave this nurse registry cause I like my patient.. Any advise as to what I could do would be greatly appreciated.