Paloma Picasso asked: I have a home health aide who is supposed to be taking care of my 90 year old father, who suffers from two strokes, high blood pressure, prostate trouble and over active bladder, macular degeneration, high cholestrol, poor hygiene, and many other medical problems. He could barely walk, and takes many prescription medications and supplements. The duties of the home health aide are to cook, clean (make sure the apartment is liveable and does not smell bad), assist my dad with shower and bath, make sure he wears clean clothes every day (he has very poor hygiene and tends to urinate on himself and as a result he smells worse than a sewer if someone is not there to help him with clean clothes), make sure he eats his three meals daily, accompany him downstairs to pick up his mail, accompany him to his appointments, accompany him to his doctor appointments, keep his appointments in order, assist with his medications, order refills and pick them up. The trouble is this home health aide first of all, comes over, parks herself in a chair, watches tv all day, and plays with my computer. She doesn’t clean and leaves the place a disaster, she only spends money to buy my father sandwiches, she won’t cook. She takes too many days off, and clocks in and goes home and then clocks out and leaves. She never followed through with any of her responsibilities, and my father smells really horrible and has been in the same dirty clothes for weeks. I end up doing all the cleaning when this is what she is supposed to be getting paid for, as well as the other stuff she never does. My father doesn’t want me to get rid of her, because he likes her, but I am fed up and disgusted. These agencies in the area where my dad lives all stink on ice. The workers are all horrible, and everyone of them are unreliable and incompetent (even though they are supposed to be trained professionals). I cannot take care of my father, that is why I got a home health aide for him. I work and my schedule is very, very busy, and I have barely any time as it is. I do not want to put my father away in a nursing home, but if I do not find a competent, reliable, responsible worker, I do not know what to do anymore. Also, I tried over and over again speaking with the worker about what she has been doing, as well as continuously reporting the matter to the home health care agency, and nothing is ever done about it. The case worker is worthless, and all of the louzy help in this agency all stink!!!! I have tried other agencies, and they are just as horrible or worse. Please someone, help!!!! Thank you.
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