• On Hiring New Caregivers

    Posted by Community Member on February 14, 2019 at 7:00 am

    Good morning everyone. Hope you all are having a great week!

    I really enjoyed Alyssa’s latest column: https://smanewstoday.com/2019/02/08/on-hiring-new-caregivers/

    This one is very relatable, as I have similar experiences when it comes to hiring and managing caregivers. I especially like when Alyssa writes about the nuances of training a caregiver to position her hands on her wheelchair’s joystick. The whole “a little to the left/no you’re not hurting me!” is so poignant and relatable.

    What did you think of this column? Could you relate to Alyssa’s experiences? What questions do you have about hiring caregivers?

    Community Member replied 4 Members · 6 Replies
  • 6 Replies
  • Community Member

    Member

    I can very much relate to being guarded with new caregivers! It is always strange to have to trust someone new with so many aspects of your life! And I can also relate to new caregivers being terrified of hurting me. It always takes a few weeks – sometimes months – for a new caregiver to fully realize that I am not a china doll, and they will in fact have to tug a bit to get my arm through the sleeve.

    • Community Member

      Member

      Right?! It’s like our muscles are sensitive, but we can still be moved without breaking something lol.

  • Community Member

    Member

    Kevin, how much did you pay for the shoutout? Haha

    • Community Member

      Member

      Shhh. I was hoping someone wouldn’t notice.

  • Community Member

    Member

    What I really resonated with is the relief of the other caregivers when you finally find someone.  Like with Alyssa’s parents my other PCA’s and even my Mom are more than willing to fill in the gaps, but it gets to be a lot.  I’m sure they’re glad to get back to their normal schedules as I’m very happy to be back to my routine even if I have to go through it step by step.

    • Community Member

      Member

      Absolutely. I had been without a Saturday morning caregiver for a while, and I always felt guilty when my dad had to get me up and ready. It’s a huge relief now that this is taken care of.

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