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I created the charts and also ask them to sign at the end of their shifts.
If I hired a caregiver to help me with the care of my loved one and someone other than me asked the caregiver a question they can not answer the question or give any information. This is a violation of HIPAA regulations.
The caregiver can tell ME what happened that day, what was eaten for lunch, the BM that my "Mr. C" had, any outbursts, how much he slept and any other information that is necessary. But this same information should not be given to anyone else.
HOWEVER If I have given the agency permission to give information to my Daughter and Son then yes the information can be given and should be. But this information should not be shared with anyone that I have not designated.
We don't have trouble with family so much - although there are points to be alert to, see below - as well-meaning neighbours who'll stop us and ask in the cheeriest tones how our client is getting on. Strictly speaking, we can't even admit we know who they're talking about, not even if they've just seen us emerge from the client's house, let alone update them on how the broken hip is mending. But when you try explaining confidentiality people do get very hurt and offended about it, so I've learned to say "can I let her know who was asking?" and that I'll pass on a message if I see her.
Right, then. Issues with communication and families, including but not limited to:
#1 Too many cooks - undated messages from unidentified family members giving different, sometimes mutually exclusive, instructions.
#2 Different interpretations - one family member thinks the nurse meant this, the other thinks the nurse meant that. We get caught in the middle. Not fair.
#3 Insight/understanding of person you're talking to. Take for example the husband of a lady with terminal cancer, heavily involved in her day to day care and apparently in charge. In discussion with him and daughter (staying to help) I explained how we workers were taking extra-extra care with her skin because of the thinning and fragility commonly caused by steroids. Husband horrified: had no idea this could happen, wanted to stop steroids. Fortunately daughter headed him off and explained that the steroids were vital to keeping the tumour under control, I added that the risks and benefits would have been carefully weighed by the wife's oncology team. Then I kicked myself all the way home (twenty miles) for having been so dim as not to check what he understood first before I opened my big mouth.
So, guidelines:
If you have any questions about the company's service, call the company.
If you have any questions about your loved one's condition, ask your loved one. If LO is in no state to answer, ask LO's permission to ask her medical, nursing, and care teams.
If you have positive or negative feedback to pass on - comments, complaints, compliments, concerns - the caregivers should have a procedure for doing this - that is, they can take messages even if they can't answer your questions. But go easy on them. You are not their client.
I would be more concerned about the "why" caregivers are not allowed to give updates to family members. If it is a matter of family members with disagreements, updates on health status will not generally not help or hinder the problem. Maybe the caregivers' agency requires a list of family members to prevent scams from happening.
The caregiver is the person who is actually caring for and with your loved one. They are the people who can answer your questions because they are the ones who are there every day. Some a$$hole sitting behind a desk at an agency office who's never even met the client, or some nurse who pops in a couple times a week for ten minutes, don't know what's going on with your family member. They can't answer your questions because they aren't there.
Your caregiver aides are with your family member day after day and usually for hours on end. Agency administration makes this rule because they want to make sure they're 'kept in the loop' to stay relevant in the care situation. All the agency is is a middle-man who takes a cut of the worker's pay to do absolutely nothing. Also, because they don't want a family with a good caregiver to cut them out and hire that caregiver privately. You want to know how your loved one is getting on, always ask their aides.
Mind you, we are paying for the PSW, not my MIL. We do not have POA set up yet, but I don’t see what’s the big deal with you asking when was the last time they washed her sheets?
Personally, if you’re paying for it, you’re entitled to it. Otherwise, I’d go shopping for a new service agency.
Summation=Complete a "Release of Information" form. It's for your protection. Stay safe and find peace.
If the one being cared for is competent, then she can give family the information.
If the client has a dementia, then the POA that holds the Medical has a right to ask questions and be informed of any problems.
Also, if I was paying for the service then I have a right to ask questions and know of any problems.
But outside that care circle, no one should be asking questions of the aide.
Years ago my MIL went to visit a SIL in the hospital. She came back telling me things she asked and claims the Nurse answered. I told her I was surprised the Nurse answered her because of HIPPA laws. She said "I am her SIL" No matter unless ur listed on the HIPPA form as being allowed to receive info, the Nurse was wrong in telling her anything other than "She is resting comfortably".
It's possible a computer screen was left up (or a paper chart was left open) and maybe she got a glance at her sister's chart... but what are the odds that the alleged false documentation would just happen to be on that page at that exact moment?
More likely, my family member had an agenda regarding her sister's care. Rather than being honest with me about that, she thought the false documentation allegation would motivate me to get done what she wanted done. Not caring that the staff involved would need to answer for something that probably didn't happen anyway.