So... Whats for lunch?

Gopher · Jul 02 14 03:02

Does she come to help you, or does she come for you to help her?

Natasha · Jul 03 14 01:40

Quote from: kitten on Jul 01 14 10:42
A dietary aide showed up to fix supper at four in the afternoon. After I showed her how to use the electric can opener, (challenging her somewhat feeble intellect) I had to tell her how to empty the can into a saucepan and put it on a small burner to heat. I also had to tell her how to turn on the electric stove and set the proper heat. Since there is usually a different one every day, I never know when she will arrive. There is first the instruction on where to find the soup, and then the demonstration on how to use the very basic electric stove. I also have to show them where I keep the soup, the pots and pans, and the dishes. Since there will likely be a different aide each time, this will require a lot of standing. I think that tomorrow I'll tell them to sit down and have a rest while I do it. I pay a certain amount to have them come in twice a day, so they can sit and watch while I do it for myself. Saves time and effort that way. I certainly hope they are quick learners!

There will be a fair amount of turnover of staff during the summer to make it even more interesting. I hope that won't last for too long before I get a few regulars who know what they are supposed to do and how to do it. I don't want to spend the rest of the summer training people who probably won't show up again.

Believe it or not, this letter has taken me hours to complete! I have to keep lying down and resting between paragraphs. Such a long period of time for something that isn't a novel! Being horizontal makes it difficult to type coherently. A pile of cats demanding attention is also distracting. ("Can't you see we are starving? We have been waiting for at least two hours since the last meal!) They do make excellent bed snugglers, though, especially when I am just dozing off and a cat comes flying onto the bed demanding pats and scratches. Now they are both sleeping, one on the floor and the other on the dresser. They are waiting for me to lie down so they can jump on the bed and demand my full attention.

I think I'll call it quits for now. Hope to hear from you soon. Love to you all.

Kitten

Why are you having to show these aids so much? Do they just not know or are they playing dumb? Aids are suppose to know the basics of cooking, cleaning and personal care. Is there another company you can go to? You can report(to the company) anyone who doesn't do their job when they are in your home. Theres absolutely no reason to pay for services you aren't actually recieving... imo. You really have to be careful with aides. Some just like to act they don't know how to do anything so they wont HAVE to do anything. It's annoying and their lack of work makes more work for the aides who actually do their job. At the end of the day, it's about you!! So do whatever you need to, to get the real help you need and are paying for.

kitten · Jul 04 14 11:58

I believe these diet preparers come to watch while I heat up my soup and make a sandwich. So far that is what they have done. They don't seem to have a clue as to why they are there.

kitten · Jul 05 14 12:07

If I complain they will decide I don't need help since I'm obviously still capable of fending for myself. It's a case of "Damned if I do, damned if I don't." I can fend for myself to some extent, but it is very limited and exhausting.
Maybe by the time I do need more assistance some of them will know what they are supposed to be doing. I'm trying to be optimistic but it's hard to hope considering the level of help I've had so far.

Natasha · Jul 05 14 02:07

Then don't complain to the company. Complain to the one who pays them (your insurance company, who ever placed you in the program, etc). You can't get kicked out for complaining about not having proper assistance.

kitten · Jul 05 14 03:28

The Home Health is government assistance. It is a "take it or leave it" deal, and I can't afford to hire private caregivers. In 2004 my client (private) had to pay $18 per hour for one 2 hour caregiver to just fix supper and do the dishes. It had gotten to the point where I could no longer handle going three times a day plus keep the house tidy. I had done it for 6 years and my health had diminished to the point where I could no longer manage three two-hour shifts. When the client's health had diminished to the last stage, she was hospitalized and lasted about five days until she passed away. I think the hospitalization must have killed her will to live. She truly loved her home, and even though she was completely bed-ridden she could look out her bedroom window and watch the birds making a home in the tree she had planted decades before when she and her husband first bought the house.

Gopher · Jul 05 14 05:17

So sad, but at least she knew happiness in her life.

Salmon salad.

Lil Me · Jul 05 14 12:21

Grapefruit.

kitten · Jul 05 14 09:45

Orange juice for lunch. I tried to eat but it wouldn't go down, so I dumped the sandwich and had more juice. Not much of a meal, but it stayed with me and that's what matters. I was going to have some porridge, but I discovered the milk had gone sour and I was out of coffee cream. I was having bad luck and that was that.

I had a very boring day, so not much to write about. Too much pain to concentrate on anything, and staring out the window was pointless as well. Same scenery plus drizzle. It should have put me to sleep as rain generally does make me tired to the point of nodding off. Not this time, though.

So I watched home repair shows all day. Today featured John De Sylvia rebuilding shoddy repair work and I like his shows. On Saturdays they feature one carpenter all day, and on Sunday they have another one. I don't know who is on tomorrow, so it is something to look forward to.

I am getting tired now, so I'll say goodbye for now. See you tomorrow.

Gopher · Jul 06 14 04:15

Some kind of stir fry (I think).

Natasha · Jul 06 14 11:11

Chicken with broccoli and cheese.

Gopher · Jul 07 14 02:12

Steak pie, mashed potatoes and spinach.

Russ · Jul 08 14 02:02

More deep fry at lunch. I had a salad and make a turkey sandwich with cold cuts.

Dinner is steak, with trimmings, and a salad.

Lil Me · Jul 08 14 07:26

Lunch was banana, apple, rice cakes with hummus.Dinner was broccoli salad with canned tuna.

Natasha · Jul 08 14 11:55

Grilled chicken, salad, baked potato. And I want it again tomorrow lol