Like a lot of other seniors, I have found it necessary to supplement my retirement income with another job. Through Hospice I have been a caregiver for a fragile man for over one year. The previous caregiver had a gloom and doom attitude along with some rather haphazard care and personal dependency problems. This client”s life has turned around with good care, an optimistic attitude and a healthy environment.
Through my affiliation with the Clearlake senior center this past 20 years, I have learned of many horror cases of clients being abused physically, financially and emotionally. Some of the caregivers” cravings for dependency on bad habits have been shown as well as criminal tendencies.
The seniors need stability as far as possible along with protection from the agencies that provide care. Criteria and rules need to be established to protect the seniors, such as registration along with training, background checks and drug testing when necessary.
The senior population is growing; therefore the need for reliable caregivers will only escalate. A good start would be protection put into place at this point in time. Weed out any undesirable elements leaving room for those caregivers who “give” of themselves for the clients” well-being. The caregivers need to receive more monetary acknowledgment to make this job more realistic one for them as well.
A message should be sent to those in charge of accepting or rejecting any proposed rules and they should remember that they too, are growing older. Life sometimes gives us adversity even though we thought we had sound financial and secure later life plans. Circumstances might require them to be a recipient of a caregiver in the future.
What kind of a caregiver they might receive could possibly be the result of what actions are taken now. When they are in negotiations, please let them remember that they hold not only the current status of those unable to take care of themselves but a future of caregivers” and clients” well-being as well.
Betty Votaw
Lower Lake
