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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.
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.
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.
On the other hand - did mom hire these people? Is she sharp mentally? Is it possible she told them NOT to talk to anyone but her??
As you can see from the replies, your question is vague enough that the answers are not consistent. The answer needs to be based on MORE information from you, specifically WHO hired the caregivers and what is the competency of the person being cared for?
IF someone with POA hired the caregivers for a LO who is no longer competent, then certainly the caregiver(s) should be able AND willing to provide important updates. Other family members who are NOT the POA need to get their updates from the POA, if at all, as it's really none of their business. The non-POA family should not be asking the caregivers about the patient.
IF the LO hired the caregivers themselves, then no, the caregivers should be honoring that person's privacy and NOT answering questions from family members or anyone else. The ONLY exception would be if the LO granted information to be provided to a specific person/people, but if the LO is competent, the LO could relate the information themselves, there would be no need for the family to query the caregivers.
This is the same as being at a medical appointment. IF the patient grants transparency for another person, family or not, in writing, then by all means the doctor's office can share the information. If the patient doesn't grant this, then at NO time should anyone in the doctor's office provide any medical information.
Taking this one step further, if I were to hire someone to help me, I would NOT want my kids asking the caregiver questions about me. If they want info, then they should be asking ME - I decide who gets to be nosy. On the other hand, if I were no longer competent and one was assigned as my health proxy, then yes, that child should be able to ask the caregiver(s) any questions about my health and care needs. Since that child would be responsible for overseeing my care, that child would have a need to know AND is legally my representative. The only reason I would consider it okay for one to share this info with the other child is if that second child is the proxy backup - being informed would be important, in the event that the primary was not able to do the job or was away. Anyone else, family or not, NONEYA.
POA is not the reason why care agencies tell family not to speak to the caregiver aide about their family member.
Agencies do this because they want the family and clients to think they're relevant and they can't get by without them.
Homecare agencies are middle-men when it comes to caregiver/aides. All they offer is taking a cut of the money collected. I'm not talking about visiting nurses, or physical/occupational therapists who work in the home. They have different jobs and different bosses they answer to. Homecare aides are the ones who are on the job the most and for the longest times. Since they get paid next to nothing for their service, agencies try to keep a tight grip on them out of fear that a good one will get hired privately by a family. Every caregiver/aide who works a private hour in a home takes money away from a care agency.
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.
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.
Summation=Complete a "Release of Information" form. It's for your protection. Stay safe and find peace.
Run away as fast as you can from this Care Company!
You and the Caregiver you hire should answer questions about the person they are taking care of.
But, there really should be one spokes person of the family asking questions and getting a report from Caregiver.
Not every family member bombarding Caregiver with questions.