They arrive and then you leave: The professional caregivers who step in to your shoes so you can work or get a break. You depend on them, but how do you manage them well? Even if the professionals works for a home care agency, they’ll need your guidance. And, if they work directly for you, they’ll need your management.
Cindy Laverty, who cared for her former father-in-law and author of “Caregiving: Eldercare Made Clear and Simple,” joined us this morning on Your Caregiving Journey to discuss managing your team of professional caregivers. You can listen to our show via the player below.
What are your experiences with professionals caregivers you’ve hired or you’ve used through a home care agency? What tips can you share that have been really helpful for you? Please share in our comments section, below.
You are a disruptor. The delivery of health care starts with you, continues because of you, and ends with you. Let's disrupt together to make the world better for family caregivers. 
Deb Calvin
I have a 83yr. old mother. Thank God she is still able to do most things on her own. She never learned how to drive so when my father past 23yrs. ago…being the only child, i took over taking her shopping,to get her hair done,Doctor’s, banking, ect. I was working at the time, she would call my work and many times had hurt herself and neede to se a Doctor, or i needed to stop at her house where she was living at that time to take her shopping after work. Somtimes i wouldn’t get home until Midnight and had to be back at work in the morning. So we decided it would be better if we moved her near us. She then had to have Surgery-Hip replacement, so i then had to stop working out of the home to help her. She has been next store to us for 23yrs. we added on to our house, she has a 2bdr.home,laundry,Kitchen ect..I really believe these are the things that have kept her going. It’s been a little trying because my hubby & I havn’t seen a Vacation in over 17yrs. But i guess our Vacation is our 2yr. old Grandson, which i have 3 days at a time, don’t get me wrong, i LOVE my Family!! but sometimes i am totaly worn to a crawl. NEED MORE ENERGY!! Had my Thyroid removed 2yrs. ago which didn’t help! cause my Med.’s needed adjusting 5 times before i felt like myself again. Doing Ok though for the most part…just gotta keep your head above water and try to keep mov’in! ,Deb C.
Diana
Managing our caregiving help is time consuming and a tremendous effort. It takes a ton of communication and emotional effort to deal with people in your home EVERY day. However, I am fortunate to have 2 ladies that I trust and who love my MIL in her current condition. They are amazing.
However, why can’t they read my mind and do everything the way I want it??
Some days I want to run into the room and yell “everyone out — I want everyone out of my house!”
I have finally reached a place in my life where all my kids are old enough to take care of themselves and now I have to schedule every time I leave the house with a sitter again!
We use to keep a notebook with notes each day of what went on – naps, extra meds., etc. After awhile I got tired of keeping up with things. So, I put a check list on the frig. That worked really well and helped remind the sitters of what they should be accomplishing each day.
Fortunately, now the 2 ladies sitting for us know our routine well enough that we “wing it”. I am tired of notes and lists. However, we are worse than three women trying to cook in the same kitchen!! We all have our own ideas of what the patient needs and wants. I have trouble remembering that I am the boss!
One thing that we did that has given me piece of mind is the “emergency notebook”. Inside this notebook is personal info, insurance info, and medication info. In case a sitter has to call 911 while I am away, they know to hand the notebook to an ambulance driver. Therefore, if my MIL should arrive at the hospital before me, the staff will have the necessary information.
Bette
I can relate to both of these comments! There are some days that I wish so badly, we didn’t have to have “strangers” in the house.
And, Diana, our kids are old enough now that when our oldest is home, they can stay home themselves, so I can relate to the: now I have to start finding a “sitter” thinking.
I am learning that it is very important to push forward and make time for yourself. And, Deb you need to do that with your husband too. (: Maybe mini-vacations…
Thank you for this post and these comments.
It’s comforting to be encouraged in so many areas that will truly help us and help us in caregiving/in giving better care.