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AndriaJ Asked March 2015

Why do HHA's think it's ok to snoop through all areas of the house?

They snoop through every closet, drawer, storage. They eat and steal whatever they want. We used three different agency's in the Minneapolis area Legacy, Senior Home Care, and Carters Care .HHA's from all three thought our home was a free for all, snooping and stealing from closets, drawers,and storage areas all through the house, Eating our groceries and generally being disrespectful by refusing to take off shoes and eating in the living room leaving food messes on the coffee table and floor. M__va from Legacy even watched Pay Per View movies and blamed my dying family member. She was completely incapable of providing safe transfers for my loved one because of her recent knee surgery, she kept dropping him down on the toilet. She emptied the urinal in the bathroom sink, spilled urine on the floor while emptying the cath bag and just dried it up she wouldn't even clean it up properly my family member even had to tell her to wash her hands afterward. She would fall asleep on the job and when my family member would make noises to wake her she would tell him that he didn't have to be smart about it. Even though we complained to the agency they sent her back because they were apparently short staffed. There was no follow up call to see if things were better in fact things got worse as she seemed to be vindictively getting even for the complaint by scratching my dinning room table. Some of the scratches were deep and through the veneer. There was one room in the house that was locked and the woodwork 2 inches above and below the striker plate is completely gouged away. L___beth from Senior Health Care also had trouble emptying the cath bag without spilling on the floor and also refused to clean it up properly she also left the locking closure on the cath bag open several times causing the urine to pool on the bedroom carpet and dribble on the hardwood floors before I realized it was open. I had another hha from Senior Health Care J__et that was sound asleep when I got home. It took her several minutes to wake up even though the security system beeps twice when the door opens and the dogs bark. My loved one has recently passed away. He fought against having strangers coming into our home now I understand why. My experience has convinced me to never have in home health care again. The thefts so far as I can see so far were petty thefts which is why they think they can get away with it. Besides the groceries that they all ate, canned goods were stolen, pie pans, vegetable spray, Tupperware serving tray, lead glass salt & pepper shakers, Tylenol, cough drops, hardcover books, paperback books, a variety of other items that were stored in the bookcase, miniature decorative plate. two baskets were taken from a wall arrangement on my dinning room wall as well as a wall plaque from an arrangement on an upper level bedroom wall.
The one person I will never forgive is E. Carter for not telling me what she already knew which was that my loved one would not make it through the day. I told her for two days I wanted to be with him when he passed. She asked me for his razor before I left for work on valentines day he passed away about two hours later. She told me later that day as we waited for his body to body to be picked up that she likes to shave her clients, comb their hair and clean their nails before they go to the morgue. She always came to the house with two large bags but when she left on valentines day she was having a hard time getting herself and the two bags out the door at the same time. I have suspicions as to why. I don't believe that there is any justifiable excuse for my not being able to have that last moment with my loved one.

SherylBeth Mar 2015
How utterly sad and pathetic it is that human beings would do these kinds of things to people who are already in pain with the situation of their loved one. God is watching.

Reverseroles Mar 2015
Sorry to hear all of that and that you lost your poor dad. My first thought is if they are stealing, what kind of people are they and how are they treating your dad!! I found hiring from an agency was the worst thing I could do. Most all of the Aides were school drop outs, and couldnt get a job doing anything else . I dodged 4 of them who gave me a gut feeling they were wrong, and sure enough 2 were in the newspaper as stealing a year later. I use the online care website and have found wonderful retired women, or educated college students who were great. I still have one who has been with me over 5 years and the others moved on as mom declined and their lives changed . I have cameras, real and fake, I have a lock on certain doors and I have been ok. I also live here and come home to them and if I saw something out of line once, they would be gone.I have strict rules and a list of what is to be done, and how, and with a smile and with a loving personality! I interviewed many many many for the right ones. For all others, interview your own people regardless of where you get them, go with your gut feelings, and get cameras. Make sure your loved ones are safe and loved in your absence.

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birdsong1 Mar 2015
As a person who has been on both ends of this situation, as care giver and as a family member of someone who needs 24 hour care, I have to say, this is horrifying. It is also illegal. Not only the individuals, but also the company who hired them, are responsible. I would speak to an elder law attorney, make a detailed list of all your missing items, and then make an official complaint to the company.That may end up in criminal charges to both the caregivers and the company. This is elder abuse!!!! The individuals, as well as the company could have licences revoked, get fines, criminal convictions, incarceration and the company may be forced to reimburse you too.
People who prey on the weak and helpless, give substandard, unsafe care, steal, and are neglectful, as these people did/were, should be held accountable.
Yes, you must grieve and eventually forgive, but you also should hold these people responsible for their actions with your family member. If you don't, they will be assigned to another vulnerable older person, who may not have a family member to protect them.

pamstegma Mar 2015
Maybe you are obsessed with all the bad things in the past that can't be fixed. Let them go, past is past. Focus on the happy moments you had with your loved one, or else the dark thoughts take over completely. Redirect and reach for the light.

Katie22 Mar 2015
This angers me greatly. I have a couple of professional nurses come in and they are fantastic and would never do anything like that, but hesitate when it comes to any other home care. I would need to know the person's full name, where they live etc. If one thing came up missing from my house I would call the police and my attorney, and that agency would be sorry.

kmonksmsn Mar 2015
This is elder abuse. I would start by reporting them to the agency. If you don't get an immediate response from them, I would report them to the state department of health services and the state adult protective services.

ptrsnake13 Mar 2015
No, there is no happy light. My moms att. always brought 2 empty bags that were full by the time she left. I left New York and got to Floriday an hour before she left and her bags were full of heirlooms. I called the police and kicked her butt out of there. Sorry to say, but 90% of them steal. Put a camera in a teddy bear or monitor the home by computer. If you can, pop up here and there an hour before they leave and stay until they do. Hate to sound paranoid but almost all of them rob. Their thinking is that the dead can't use it so they'll put it to better use.
Sad but very true. Now I know I'll hear from the 1 or 2 people that had a good experience. Those must be the same 2 they shuffle around to make it appear all is well.

SherylBeth Mar 2015
Birdsong1...i totally agree. I would hate for these people to move on to some other unsuspecting persons home and do the same thing.

pargirl Mar 2015
I know this type of thing happens a lot.....more than it should and it's not only sad but scary. I agree, if they will steal, just how well will they be taking care of your loved one. Probably not very well. My only suggestion would to be to make sure the agency you use is certified and bonded. I mean, any house cleaning co. is bonded for just that reason so why not something as important as caring for a human (I mean from stealing or breaking things). The other suggestion would be to do background checks on Agency and aides. We had 2 different ones before we found the right one with my MIL but that was because she didn't care for them. The third one for some reason she bonded really well with and she was wonderful to her. There are good ones out there. As with everything else in the world, you just have to find them. So sorry for your loss.

anonymous179890 Mar 2015
My mother is in a wonderful NH but she keeps saying things are being stolen. As she has dementia I didn``t think much of it but yesterday she said her pink hoodies were gone. She had two pink hoodies and a purple one which I bought for her last year. Did a quick search and they`re gone.

Last fall I bought her a boom box with big buttons (70 bucks) but she couldn`t manage it. Behind her bed there`s a pile of blankets and comforters and I imagined it had been boxed and put there but it`s likely been lifted. One day this week I`m going down to tear her room apart, find out what`s been stolen and nail the guy who runs the place to the wall!.

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